China interfering in Canadian elections, setting up illegal police stations and bullying diaspora communities were all put on the table in Beijing, as were its intimidation and disinformation campaigns, Joly said
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly responds to questions about the situation in Haiti during a news conference in Ottawa on March 25. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says she didn’t soft-pedal Beijing ’s interference in Canadian affairs or its human-rights record during blunt talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi last week, a one-day visit aimed at reopening channels of dialogue after six years of a deep freeze in bilateral relations.
“I raised it very firmly, and specifically because this is core to our national interests. So I said clearly that we would not tolerate any form of interference in our democracy, intimidation of our people and our politicians,” she said. “I am not saying that they’re accepting of what Canada is presenting,” she said, but the forthright talk drove home the point: “They know this is core to our national interests. And that was the No. 1 issue that I raised with him.”
On trade, Ms. Joly said Mr. Wang discussed Beijing’s concern about Canada likely joining the U.S. and Europe in imposing massive tariffs on Chinese-madeThe Minister said she told her counterpart there is a consultation process going on right now that is being handled by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, and “if they want to participate in it, it’s up to them.”
The two foreign ministers discussed Ottawa’s desire to get Beijing to once again allow tourist groups to come to Canada and to let Canadians visit China visa-free. But there was no immediate signal that China will change that policy, she said.
China Beijing Minister Canada Interference Fentanyl China Reaction Michael Kovrig Foreign Affairs Xinjiang
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