Chinese consulate-general says report could damage China's relationship with Canada

Sat, February 18, 2023 



VANCOUVER — The Chinese consulate-general in Vancouver has called a newspaper report that cited Canadian intelligence documents and described alleged efforts to oust candidates seen as unfriendly to Beijing, "smearing and discrediting" to China.

The consulate general says in a news release it is dissatisfied and is in "firm opposition" to the report.

It says China has never interfered in any Canadian election or internal affairs in any way, and the reporting could damage the country's relationship with Canada.

The Globe and Mail report, released Friday, says Canadian Security Intelligence Service documents describe then-Chinese consul-general in Vancouver Tong Xiaoling boasting about a strategy that led to the defeat of two Conservative MPs in 2021.

Conservatives Kenny Chiu, who had represented Steveston-Richmond East, and then-Richmond Centre MP Alice Wong both both lost their seats in 2021 after suffering large drops in vote share.

Richmond has a large population of Chinese immigrants.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2023.

The Canadian Press