Trudeau says no decision yet on expelling Chinese envoy implicated in threats to MP
CTV
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says no decision has been made yet on whether to expel a Chinese diplomat who allegedly targeted a member of Parliament and his family.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says no decision had been made yet on whether to expel a Chinese diplomat who allegedly targeted a member of Parliament and his family.
As China reacted forcefully to the accusation on Friday, Trudeau told reporters at the Liberal convention in Ottawa that removing another country's envoy from Canada is a major decision.
"This is a big step, not a small step, to expel a diplomat. So it's one that has to be taken with due consideration on all the potential impacts and all the very clear messages that it will send," Trudeau said.
His comments came as a Chinese government spokesperson in Beijing reacted with "strong protest" to the notion that its diplomat engaged in any wrongdoing and said that "serious demarches" have been made to Canada's ambassador in China.
"We deplore and reject the Canadian side's groundless smear of the Chinese diplomatic and consular mission in Canada, which is merely fulfilling its duties," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, according to a Chinese government translation.
Mao said reports that Beijing targeted Conservative MP Michael Chong are a "fabricated story" and a "political stunt," adding that diplomatic personnel abide by the law and international conventions.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly summoned China's ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, on Thursday. In a statement, Cong said that "should the Canadian side continue to make provocations, China will play along every step of the way until the very end."