CHINA CANADA TIES

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Context

China and Canada have now expelled diplomats in tit-for-tat moves, after Canada said a Chinese official based in Toronto was involved in targeting one of its lawmakers and his family.

Background

• The saga, which follows years of fractious ties, comes as China is increasingly bidding to be seen as a neutral powerbroker as it attempts to elbow out the U.S. on the world stage.
• China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner.
• Canada has previously accused China of meddling in Canadian elections in 2019 and 2021, something Beijing denies.
• In 2018, Canada arrested a Huawei executive and China detained “the two Michaels” — former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor — all three of whom were released in an apparent exchange in 2021.

What’s behind the uproar in Canada?

• At the heart of this incident is a leaked report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
• The spy service alleged that a Chinese diplomat based in Toronto, Zhao Wei, was involved in efforts to intimidate opposition Conservative lawmaker Michael Chong and his family in Hong Kong.
• Chong spearheaded Canada’s legislative efforts to label as genocide China’s alleged human rights abuses against its minority Muslim Uyghur population.

What was China’s response?

• China said that Canadian diplomats based in Shanghai, had four days to leave the country, calling it a reciprocal countermeasure in reaction to Canada’s unscrupulous move.
• China accused Canada of “a smear campaign against China,” and “ideologically based political manipulation” that was “nonsensical” and based on “lies.

Why does the dispute matter?

• Chong’s alleged targeting by China would be another example of Beijing seeking to exert pressure on people and institutions overseas who have been critical on issues that it feels defensive over.
• For China’s part, it is more proof that Western countries are being swept up in anti-China sentiment at the behest of the U.S.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q) The recent downturn in China and Canada ties is another example of Beijing seeking to exert pressure on people and institutions overseas who have been critical on issues that it feels defensive over. Examine. (150 words)

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/china-and-canada-expel-diplomats-ties-strain-8600265/