Canada tells China it will ‘never tolerate’ foreign interference
- Foreign Minister Melanie Joly made the remarks in her meeting with Chinese counterpart Qin Gang on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi
- Beijing has denied allegations in recent media reports that it tried to meddle in Canada’s last 2 elections
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly told her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi that Canada will never tolerate any form of foreign interference in its internal affairs, according to a statement from Joly on Friday.
Joly was “direct, firm, and unequivocal” in her first meeting with Qin as China’s foreign minister, according to the statement.
Recent Canadian media reports, citing anonymous intelligence sources, have alleged attempts by China to interfere in Canada’s last two elections. Beijing denies those allegations.
“Canada will never tolerate any form of foreign interference in our democracy and internal affairs by China,” Joly told Qin, according to statement.
“We will never accept any breach of our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Joly said. “We will never accept any breach by Chinese diplomats of the Vienna Convention on Canada’s soil.”
Earlier on Friday, Qin refuted allegations that Chinese embassies and consulates in Canada were trying to interfere in Canadian elections, saying the alleged interference was “completely false and nonsensical”.
Ottawa’s open accusations about covert Chinese schemes to meddle in Canadian affairs add another layer of complexity to strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Tensions between the countries soared in late 2018 when Canadian police detained an executive of the Chinese company Huawei Technologies, which was followed by Beijing’s arrest of two Canadians on spying charges. All three were freed in 2021.
China urges Canada to prevent ‘rumours’ after interference allegations
A Canadian parliamentary committee investigating election interference passed a non-binding a motion on Thursday calling on the federal government to set up a public inquiry, increasing pressure on Trudeau to back a broad probe. Two parliamentary committees are already conducting their own investigations.
Trudeau on Friday said Canada already had protocols to prevent foreign meddling, including an independent panel that has verified the integrity of the 2019 and 2021 elections.
“We will be there to do whatever is necessary” to ensure the integrity of elections and to build confidence in the country’s democracy, Trudeau told reporters in Winnipeg.
Canada’s main opposition party slammed Trudeau for not endorsing a public inquiry, accusing him of trying to cover-up Chinese influence.
“Trudeau is showing nothing but contempt for parliament, and for our democracy, by stonewalling efforts to investigate foreign interference and by refusing to treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves,” Conservative Party MP Michael Cooper said in a statement.
