‘Stop spreading lies’ about intimidation of MP, China tells Canada
- The Chinese embassy in Canada hits back at claims lawmaker and his family were targeted by intelligence agency over Xinjiang vote
- Canadian outcry has included calls for a Chinese diplomat named in newspaper report to be expelled from the country
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An embassy said this week’s outcry over the allegations – reported by the Globe and Mail, citing classified documents and an anonymous security source – was “pure political manipulation with ulterior motives”.
The newspaper said Conservative MP Michael Chong and his relatives were targeted for sanctions because of his vote in February 2021 in favour of a parliamentary motion condemning Beijing’s conduct in Xinjiang as genocide.
The report said a Chinese diplomat in Canada was involved in a Ministry of State Security effort to get information on Chong and his family in Hong Kong.
A growing number of opposition MPs have joined Chong’s call for the diplomat to be expelled. Chong has also criticised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government for not telling him two years ago about the alleged threat, contained in a Canadian intelligence report quoted by The Globe and Mail.
“Certain Canadian politicians and media, based on false reports, hyped up the so-called interference by China in Canada’s internal affairs and falsely claimed that relevant Chinese consular officials in Canada had made so-called threats against the Canadian MP and his relatives,” the embassy said.
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The embassy urged Canada to “immediately correct its mistakes” and “stop spreading lies about China”, warning they would damage relations between the two countries. China had “no interest” in interfering in other countries’ internal affairs, it said.
Instead, the embassy criticised the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), in an apparent reference to reports by Canadian media that the agency wiretapped the Chinese embassy in 2013.
“The facts are clear at a glance, who is interfering in other countries’ internal affairs, who is engaging in espionage activities and who is threatening others,” the embassy said.
Trudeau said he was not informed by the CSIS about Chong and his family because the matter was “not concerning enough”. He has ordered the agency to release such information immediately in future.
Canada’s relations with China have been strained for years, with Trudeau accusing Beijing of meddling in Canada’s elections in 2019 and 2021, which Beijing has denied.
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Trudeau has been particularly vocal about human rights issues in China. During a visit to the US a few days ago, he linked Chinese production of lithium to “slave labour”.
Last year, Canada joined its Five Eyes partners – the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand – in banning Huawei’s 5G equipment, while also releasing an Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at an increased military presence in the region in response to a “disruptive” China.
