China expels Canadian diplomat in worsening bilateral ties

Good on Canada for not backing down against China and its very dodgy surveillance programs. It's hard to see how China can ever really be a true part of the international community with behavior like this.

I agree with all posters above. Enough is enough. It is time to stand up to China. We also hear of similar situations in the UK, OZ, and NZ and to a lesser extent the US.

I really don't want to sound like a broken record but this is one of the many reasons I have been vocal about a CANZUK union where the 4 above countries form a supranational union to strengthen their international clout. A union that sees open borders between citizens and integrated economies, militaries, foreign policies and closer cooperation within the defense intelligence agencies between the 4 would pack a much more powerful punch.

Canada is to be commended for sure for standing up to China, but it cannot inflict as much pain on China's economy nor does it have the political clout that CANZUK would allow it. China's game is divide and conquer, and they are good at it. A Canzuk Union is not something the Chinese want and greater shared intelligence between the 4 would allow for greater transparency and clearer view of the big picture when it comes to China's international foul play. A comprehensive economic union's pushback would be a much more painful blow to China's economy. NONE of the 4 countries alone can stand up to China, and it is time that they push back together as a powerful force on the international stage.

Such a fragile country, China, that they shut down diplomatic contact over being called out on their genocide. That, or they think they own all Chinese people no matter where they are.

"China on Tuesday expelled a Canadian diplomat in Shanghai in a tit-for-tat after Ottawa told a Toronto-based Chinese diplomat to leave the country, escalating already tense bilateral relations amid concerns about Chinese influence in Canada."

China seems to be losing more friends day by day!

At least the CCP didn't take a hostage this time - at least not yet.

So once COULD postulate that this is what passes for mature behavior from the Chinese Communist Party.

I think all Canadians should leave China.

greater shared intelligence between the 4 would allow for greater transparency and clearer view of the big picture when it comes to China's international foul play.

The "Five eyes" intelligence sharing is already doing what your suggesting, just including the US.

A formal defensive military alliance between the four would certainly be helpful but they generally help each other in conflict anyway like WWI and WWII helping the UK defend Europe and the Middle East.

Better to simply make the "Five eyes" a military alliance rather than just an intelligence sharing alliance.

Australia has weathered Chinese trade coercion for years due to China's "displeasure" that Australia will not fall into line with Beijing's wishes on a number of issues. Canada is also having issues with Chinese coercion.

As mentioned by others, there seems no way China can assume a leadership role in world affairs while it uses the "blunt instrument" approach in its diplomacy when dealing with others.

Well done Canada, for standing its ground and taking appropriate action to dispel an individual meddling in Canada's political affairs at the direction of Beijing. When enough nations take actions against China, they may begin to see the light and realise their wrong actions will not wash in the international community.

Such petulance shows China can never "be the bigger person", no more than egotistical people can. "Face" is ultimately preservation of ego. And ego only understands power - getting it, wielding it and revenge. No wisdom here, folks, after millennia.

The quicker Canada has no dealing with the CCP China, the better it is for the Canadian. You did the right thing. Don't get intimated & bullied by the wolf- warrior CCP. CCP can never fit into the democratic civilised international communities.

Trudeau said he found out about the intelligence report from the newspaper, and on Wednesday blamed the spy agency for not passing it onto him at the time.

I have no problem with Canada taking action to secure our country.

However I have major concerns as to why Trudeau didn't know before the news papers.

I don't believe his office wasn't informed, they were more than likely informed but chose not to pass it on as he was probably too busy apologizing to some special interest group or taking money away from Canadians and sending it to Ukraine, perhaps he was on vacation while the economy is doing badly.

But like everything when it comes to Trudeau it is always someone else's fault.

China told Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, consul of the Canadian consulate in Shanghai, to leave China by May 13

I'm sure Jennifer Lalonde will be happy to go. It's coming into summer back home!

It’s obvious the Chinese diplomat was defending against defamation. The Canadian lawmaker is just a sheep repeating “academic” reports on the internet about Xinjiang but two wrongs don’t make a right.

quercetumToday  05:33 pm JST

It’s obvious the Chinese diplomat was defending against defamation. The Canadian lawmaker is just a sheep repeating “academic” reports on the internet about Xinjiang but two wrongs don’t make a right.

It's called Freedom of Speech and as a Canadian citizen he is free to express his opinions without threats to him or his family in HK by the Chinese government.

I'd say the sheep are the Chinese right now. Letting the gov't do anything they want from denying access to personal bank accounts to falsely arresting people for criticizing the government. It's not just the Uyghurs that are and will continue to be persecuted. It will affect anybody who speaks out against the government.

@Aly, as a Canuck I agree with everything you say, except one thing. You mentioned that you doubt Canada can inflict much pain on China's economy. To the contrary, can you imagine the damage we could do by stopping all exports of potash and wheat to China? Their agricultural capacity would drop severely and their people would be a lot hungrier. Frankly, if I was PM that's what I'd do, and without warning.

Nothing better. Nice guy Trudeau has learned his lesson, though a bit late. Xi Jinping is a great leader because he really let the world know about the true face of China, which previous leaders from Deng on hid from public view with their fake smiles.

It's called Freedom of Speech and as a Canadian citizen he is free to express his opinions without threats to him or his family in HK by the Chinese government.

Well not really, I will not compare the level of freedom of speech but Canada no longer actually has freedom of speech, as a Canadian I and most Canadians I I know, now are extremely careful what we say, we can be fined, even charged with a crime for using the wrong words or having the wrong opinion.

By no means is it on the same lever as China but we are heading that way.

It was first forbidden words now it is compelled speech in which you can be in trouble for not using the words you are told to use.

It's called Freedom of Speech and as a Canadian citizen he is free to express his opinions without threats to him or his family in HK by the Chinese government.

As a Canadian citizen he is free to speak his mind in Canada, but freedom of speech provides zero protection when China chooses to persecute his family back in HK for what he says in Canada.

Chinese laws apply in China, even though they want them to apply everywhere. But Chinese outside of China are well aware their families are in danger back in Chinese jurisdiction, if they dare publicly speak out against China or the CCP.

TrevorPeace

Today 06:21 pm JST

@Aly, as a Canuck I agree with everything you say, except one thing. You mentioned that you doubt Canada can inflict much pain on China's economy. To the contrary, can you imagine the damage we could do by stopping all exports of potash and wheat to China? Their agricultural capacity would drop severely and their people would be a lot hungrier. Frankly, if I was PM that's what I'd do, and without warning

Canada can't stop anything!

Ones it cannot afford to, it is broke and needs the money.

Two: under the trade agreement with China, Canada would be obligated to pay China billions upon billions in compensation, even if Canada gave notice to end the agreement that end would be 30 years after the notice has been formally given.

We can all thank Harper for this problem.

It seems strange to me that China is trying to pick on some of the Western powers that are basically on the sidelines of power. What are they trying to achieve?

Wouldn't fancy being a Canadian business person in china right now

@Xavier

I guess you'll say that Zhao Wei's acts, and the Manchester attacks that I quote above, are fake news too, just like the Xinjiang concentration camps?

No, we saw the videos of the Manchester embassy. China’s had this side that to me is like the hillbillies or rednecks of Kentucky. Only they don’t use a shotgun. You try and mess with the Chinese and they’ll come after you. Your family is fair game. This is different from the concentration camps which don’t exists.

There was a terrorist attacking and thousands were arrested and out in retraining education centers. It is actually quite a good rehabilitative endeavor. The U.S. just puts a WMD Uyghur lie to it to try and blacken China’s reputation. Biden has given up on the Uyghur propaganda. He was quoted, “the world’s not gonna believe that we give a damn about Muslims.” Its the truth; as if the hearts of Americans all of a sudden hurt fur the Muslims in Xinjiang after bombing and killing so n men any in the Middle East. Any American who tries to WMD Iraq and defame China by spreading Uyghur genocide fake news knows no shame.

I believe Conservative Member of Parliament Michael Chong’s family may possibly have received threats but I wouldn’t believe that China U.S. putting half the Hong Kong population in concentration camps for trying to start a Revolution.

I believe a Uyghur overseas with terrorist ties will receive threats. His family will be endangered too. But I would believe it if you told me that is evidence that millions of Uyghurs are out in concentration camps. You’ve got nothing on concentration camps. Even the photos are fake. People in concentration camps waiting to die aren’t going to sit like they’re in training camp or boot camp. Even the propaganda is so lazy in its lack of due diligence.

At a time when satellite technology is so advanced that it can take pictures of people on the ground, or even insects, why can't you produce verifiable photographs of concentration camps?

As I've said before, academic reports are far more trustworthy than unsourced comments from anonymous internet posters.

Yes, I have picked up that is your preferred source of information. I have direct access to data of transactions. You have people writing about this and that with their own slant. I use numbers not pdf’s or prose. Would you prefer to hear someone talk and talk about a portfolio or would you rather prefer that they just show you the numbers?

If we take your preferred institution’s papers as the preferred source then here, your boy Rand Corporation puts out a pdf. Read Extending Russia. In it you’ll find how the US can weaken Russia by causing chaos in the nations around Russia and forcing Russia to use its army in Ukraine. It’s just a paid research product of the MIC. Just like the BBC paid Adrian Zensk to write that report, according to Zenks.

So based on your “Bible,” which according to you, are “far more trustworthy,” that is again, “far” more trustworthy, the following statement that the US has explored all means, including military means, to provoke and weaken Russia is a statement from a “trustworthy” source:

This report examines a range of possible means to extend Russia. As the 2018 National Defense Strategy recognized, the United States is currently locked in a great-power competition with Russia. This report seeks to define areas where the United States can compete to its own advantage. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data from Western and Russian sources, this report examines Russia's economic, political, and military vulnerabilities and anxieties. It then analyzes potential policy options to exploit them — ideologically, economically, geopolitically, and militarily (including air and space, maritime, land, and multidomain options). After describing each measure, this report assesses the associated benefits, costs, and risks, as well as the likelihood that measure could be successfully implemented and actually extend Russia. Most of the steps covered in this report are in some sense escalatory, and most would likely prompt some Russian counter-escalation. Some of these policies, however, also might prompt adverse reactions from other U.S. adversaries — most notably, China — that could, in turn, stress the United States. Ultimately, this report concludes that the most attractive U.S. policy options to extend Russia — with the greatest benefits, highest likelihood of success, and least risk — are in the economic domain, featuring a combination of boosting U.S. energy production and sanctions, providing the latter are multilateral. In contrast, geopolitical measures to bait Russia into overextending itself and ideological measures to undermine the regime's stability carry significant risks. Finally, many military options — including force posture changes and development of new capabilities — could enhance U.S. deterrence and reassure U.S. allies, but only a few are likely to extend Russia, as Moscow is not seeking parity with the United States in most domains.

China wants to police the world this is also proven evidence, they have the nerve to open police stations in other countries under the pretense of saying they were helping their citizens with drivers license, passport etc. How stupid thats what you have embassies for.

Canada on Monday expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei after an intelligence report accused him of trying to target a Canadian lawmaker critical of China's treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority.

China uses trade as a weapon. Remember when Australia pushed for more to be done about finding the origins of Covid and China quickly slapped ridiculous tariffs on barley, wine and other products which basically reduced the imports to zero. Like Canada, Australia didn't back down though. China is an embarrassment.

Good ! Thanks to Clinton family for accepting china as a member of the WTO, LOL.

Actually China should never have been accepted into the WTO, dumping, industrial espionage, corruption of Politicians and Bureaucrats, corruption of the mass media...

Canola, is in fact, not Canada's largest crop. That fact is pretty easy to verify.

The Trudeau government has benefited from China's interference in Canadian democracy. The only conclusion to be drawn from the long list of recently exposed scandals involving Trudeau and Chinese interference one can make is that the Trudeau government delibertly let it happen to its benefit.

The "Five eyes" intelligence sharing is already doing what your suggesting, just including the US.

CANZUK would be a better implementation because currently each one can independently delay action or not have the political courage to act quickly as in the case of my own Canadian government here. If it was under a clear layer of responsibility then actions would be faster kinda like NORAD

The Average North American, EU, UK and Caribbean Citizen: Beware if you speak your mind or work for a security sensitive Employer.

A couple works for a aggressive well known pharmaceutical firm or perhaps the CDC in Colorado or a innovative electronics-communications firm. All are developing top notch uniquely proprietary concepts, designs and products. This would be a perfect target for foreign agents hoping to acquire said private and public secrets. But how can this be done?

Have a direct agent or friendly join the firm. Direct infiltration would be best as, as it usually does not have all the baggage of a amateur or someone forced to spy for the foreign intelligence service.

Co-op someone already employed at these firms. Easily done, since all of us are not saints, having some sort of personal secret we would like to keep secret. Perhaps the employee is a gambler, addict, womanizer while married, someone who steals from the firm they work for or they are simply still in the closed member of the LGBT+ community within a security sensitive agency. Secrets of others is the basis of all intelligence work through out history. Acquiring information on someone gives the opposition power to manipulate, threaten and force compliance.

Sources of information in a Digital World: 

*. Online...TikTok, Facebook and other social media tools. Someone puts something online that provides information on their employer, location, activities, family and social group membership. Say your going to Florida for a week, and say so on Facebook, saying how, where, timing of travel. This provides criminals the ability to case your house and rob it. Pictures of the front lobby alone can provide the type and make of your security system, or if you have one.

Word of Mouth: Your family in China speaks freely and proudly of your promotion, place of business and what your do, or perhaps personal information that allows the security services to in China to locate you, your employer and what it is you do. If it is of importance, the security system jumps into action investigating you. Members of Government can face such challenges, as they do through out the world. 

Actions of Provocateur Nations: 

a. Acquiring a target, say a member of parliament in Canada who has a extended family in Hong Kong.

The MP also does business of the government and personal needs in Asia. 

b. Pin Point means of co-opting MP such as simply telling the MP bad things could happen to his family in Hong Kong without actually doing so. The threat maybe enough to get the MP's attention. Personal contact in Canada through phone calls, emails and even meeting MP at events can follow. A few key words can let him know he is being watched with interest. Cyber Hacks of the MP's office, personal computer can follow. Acquiring all personal information on the target will allow agents to move swiftly within the shadows. 

Is the subject financially insecure? Does he gamble or has he roving sexual interests? Can the subject be manipulated in any way?

c. Should the subject not respond visibly, actions against his family in China could happen. Loss of employment or citizen rights such as medical care. Threatening to leak Hurtful information or photo's can initiate the manipulation and capture process. Once a subject falls into the intelligence services hands, they will be at their complete command. Some go to the authorities, while others commit suicide. Intelligence service can act much like organized crime syndicates, applying fraud, threats, victimization and harm to their targets. 

d. In the case of super powers such as Russia and China, financial pressures can be used to get what these foreign intelligence services want. Subjects firm or personal finances are in a mess where an infusion of cash is needed. An agency appears willing to provide a loan. Foreign Banks suddenly show interest in subjects financial needs. Say the subject has a business in construction. A group of firms provide profitable work, building up the subjects firms debt significantly, then holding off paying for work done. Black mail, fraud, misrepresentation all are the bailiwick of spy craft. Lack of payment can threaten bankruptcy until someone comes by, offering payment so long as a favor asked of subject, for information both corporate, private or security based.

e. Intelligence services will look at both short and long term commitments from the subject. Acquiring a projects code, or a particular virus can be a short term investment, but the longer a subject can secretively serve the better. Subject can be assisted in their professional journeys towards more vital security vital targets. Starting as a doctor, promoted to head the hospital they serve in, the information provided the subject of medical, pharmaceutical, governmental, patents can be useful for a foreign government. 

f. Like a virus, intelligence gathering and recruitment are unending. Co-opting other's can also be a useful procedure for the subject. A list of candidates could be given to the subject of those in their organization most useful to intelligence needs. Acquiring personal, possibly secretive information of these individuals by the subject starts the whole procedure once again.

Methods of maintaining the security and well being of vital organizations and their employee's is keep to keeping the tentacles of foreign intrigue away. Investigations into employee's back grounds, present day financial-personal activities is essential. If someone begins placement in a firm with a personal worth of $250,000 and three years later they are worth $2.2 million questions need to be asked. It is simple as that. Security of the population, government or private concern's demand honesty. Without secrets, intelligence agencies are S.O.L.

Steven Kaszab

skaszab@yahoo.ca

delibertly let it happen 

Not really. The Trudeau government delays and delays action on China in order to not look like it's reacting immediately to avoid Chinese ire, but it's meaningless as China will just react anyway. For example the Huawei networking ban decision took a 2 second decision over years

Good ! Thanks to Clinton family for accepting china as a member of the WTO, LOL.

Actually it was in the reign of the mentally challenged son of a former emperor. Isn't it funny how the GOP can run away from everything Bush related but everything Clinton related must be commemorated.

Yet Canadian govt., as the rest of the worlds governments do nothing to Communist China for committing the ongoing genocide...hmmmm

All diplomats from all countries should leave China and all Chinese diplomats should be told to go back to China. And all foreign companies should leave China too, stop all trade!!! There is no need for any relations with China!!!

Zero details given in this article or the article I read at the Canadian Broadcasting Service website. Interesting that Meng Wanzhou is mentioned as she was detained in Canada for 2 years and eventually freed to return to China without even going to trial. That charge was related to doing business in Iran, not spying.

I forget which Canadian politician suggested Canada should change its mascot from a beaver to a polar bear, but given China and Russia are both eying the Arctic regions I think Canada should sharpen claws in preparation to defend against further aggression as the CCP - Russian Federation and their consortium of fellow totalitarian states try to further expand the vast territories they already control.

My dog, these are grown men, world leaders (supposedly) playing silly games whilst their own people suffer. Nothing ever changes.

The "Five eyes" intelligence sharing is already doing what your suggesting, just including the US.

I know Peter, but what I'd like Canzuk to do is to operate as 1 monolith so that we have 2 eyes instead of 5.

To the contrary, can you imagine the damage we could do by stopping all exports of potash and wheat to China? Their agricultural capacity would drop severely and their people would be a lot hungrier. Frankly, if I was PM that's what I'd do, and without warning.

I stand corrected and agree with you.