The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday declared a consular official from the Canadian Consulate General in Shanghai persona non grata.

Noting that the Canadian government on Tuesday declared a diplomat of the Consulate-General of China in Toronto persona non grata, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this and has lodged serious démarches and strong protest to Canada. 

As a reciprocal countermeasure in reaction to Canada's unscrupulous move, China decided to declare Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, consul of the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai persona non grata, who has been asked to leave China before May 13, said the spokesperson.

China reserves the right to further react, the spokesperson added.

"In response to the Canadian side's unreasonable move, China has adopted corresponding retaliatory measures," said Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a regular press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Wang pointed out that some Canadian media and politicians have used the so-called "confidential documents" of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to fabricate false information to smear the Chinese Consulates-General in Canada and asking Jennifer Lynn Lalonde to leave is a legitimate, necessary move by China to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.

He stressed that China never interferes in other countries' internal affairs, and the Chinese Consulates-General and their staff in Canada always abide by international conventions and local laws to perform their duties. "The so-called 'China's interference in Canada's internal affairs' is completely groundless, which is a slander against China and political manipulation based on ideology," said Wang.

By declaring a Chinese diplomat "persona non grata" on trumped-up charges, the Canadian side violated the basic norms of international relations and deliberately sabotaged China-Canada relations, he noted, adding the Canadian government has taken wrong actions that seriously undermine the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese diplomatic and consular personnel, which China will never accept.

He urged the Canadian side to immediately stop its unreasonable provocations. Otherwise, China will take resolute countermeasures and all consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the Canadian side, he warned.

(Cover: A view of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. /CFP)