On May 8, the Canadian government announced that Zhao Wei, a Chinese Consulate diplomat in Toronto, was declared a “persona non grata” and will be expelled. Zhao is accused of attempting to intimidate Michael Chong, an opposition Conservative Party member and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs.
In response to Canada’s action, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) retaliated on the next day (May 9) by designating Consul Jennifer Lalonde from the Canadian Consulate General in Shanghai as a “persona non grata” and demanded her departure from mainland China.
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly stated on May 8, expressing a clear stance of not tolerating foreign interference in Canada’s internal affairs. Diplomats in Canada have been warned that engaging in such behavior will result in their expulsion. Joly emphasized that the decision was made after careful consideration. The statement concluded, “We remain firm in our resolve that defending our democracy is of the utmost importance.”…