Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Canada has summoned the Beijing ambassador following reports of a network of illegal Chinese “police stations” in the country. Ottawa is prepared to take further action if China refuses to shut down the alleged activities.
Speaking to the Canada-China committee on Tuesday evening, Weldon Epp, director general for North Asia for Canada’s foreign ministry, said he was aware of some federal government involvement with China, including the repeated summons of the ambassador, Cong Peiwu.
“We have reached several agreements (…) and we have expressed our deep concern,” Epp said. The gardiansFriday (2/12/2022).
Epp was answering questions from Raquel Dancho, the Conservative shadow public safety minister who raised the issue at a committee hearing following earlier media reports.
In an October report, Madrid-based NGO Safeguard Defenders detailed 54 suspected Chinese police stations around the world, prompting authorities in several countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and Canada, to open police investigations. .
Conservative lawmakers have previously called on the federal government to subpoena China’s ambassador for political action and review credentials for diplomats.
“The Canadian government is formally insisting that the Chinese government consider … any activity in Canada that falls outside of the Vienna Convention,” Epp said, adding that there was the possibility of further meetings “depending on how ( China) responds”.
He told Dancho he couldn’t answer if Ottawa expelled the diplomats.
The Chinese Embassy in Canada previously acknowledged the three addresses reported by Safeguard Defenders, but said they were simply “service stations” in Canada to help Chinese nationals process documents and obtain permits to drive Chinese. The embassy said the volunteers “were not involved in any criminal investigation or relevant activity”.
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations places consular and administrative services, such as driving license renewal, under the responsibility of embassies and consulates. It prohibits diplomats from interfering in the internal affairs of the host country.
Beijing has also previously been accused of seeking to interfere in the 2019 Canadian federal election, partially funding the campaigns of at least 11 candidates.
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