A senior Chinese diplomat on Thursday warned Canada against granting asylum to democracy protesters in Hong Kong, adding that doing so could endanger the “health and safety” of Canadians living in the financial center of southern China. .
The remarks by Cong Peiwu, envoy from Beijing to Ottawa, prompted a reprimand from Canada’s foreign minister, further intensifying tensions between the two countries.
Cong was responding to reports that a Hong Kong couple who participated in the huge and sometimes violent protests last year had been granted refugee status.
The landmark decision makes it likely that other Hong Kongers will receive refuge in Canada, which has become a primary destination for those fleeing Beijing’s crackdown.
“We strongly urge the Canadian side not to grant so-called political asylum to those violent criminals in Hong Kong because it is interference in China’s internal affairs. And it will certainly encourage those violent criminals, ”Cong said at a video news conference.
“So if the Canadian side really cares about the stability and prosperity in Hong Kong, and it really cares about the good health and safety of those 300,000 Canadian passport holders in Hong Kong, and the large number of Canadian companies that operate in Hong Kong SAR, you must support those efforts to combat violent crime, ”Cong said.
When asked by reporters if that last comment was a threat, Cong replied: “That is his interpretation.”
Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne described Cong’s comments as “totally unacceptable and disturbing.”
“I have directed Global Affairs to call the ambassador to make it clear in unequivocal terms that Canada will always defend human rights and the rights of Canadians around the world,” he said in a statement released by Globe and Mail and other news outlets. Canadians.
China and Canada are turning 50 years since they forged diplomatic relations, but those relations are deeply strained.
Ties fell apart following the arrest by Canada of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei and daughter of its founder.
Meng was arrested on a US warrant in December 2018 during a stopover in Vancouver and is charged with bank fraud related to violations of the US sanctions against Iran.
She has been fighting extradition ever since.
Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor were arrested in China on espionage charges shortly after, disappearing into Beijing’s opaque judicial system.
Western governments view the arrest of the two Canadians as direct retaliation from Beijing.
On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Beijing for what he said was its “coercive diplomacy”, as well as the continuing crackdowns in Hong Kong and against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.
Cong rejected Trudeau’s comments at his press conference Thursday.
“There is no coercive diplomacy on the Chinese side,” he said.
“The Hong Kong issue and the Xinjiang issue have nothing to do with the human rights issue. They are purely on China’s internal affairs, which does not admit interference from abroad, ”he added.
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