Several news agencies have reported that China’s ambassador to Canada is being given a new posting and he will leave sometime this month after only two years in Canada.
Although his comments over trade and diplomatic disputes with Canada, have been “undiplomatic”, Lu Shaye will apparently be posted to Paris which is being interpreted as a promotion for the outspoken ambassador.
The arrest in Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, on an extradition request of the United States, has infuriated China, and Lu Shaye has frequently lashed out at Canada with unusually harsh language and veiled threats.
In an article in Canada’s Hill Times news, he said Canada was engaging in a double standard in legal situations referring to the Meng Wanzhou case “The reason why some people are used to arrogantly adopting double standards is due to Western egotism and white supremacy”.
Mentioning Canadian reaction to what was deemed the arbitrary detention of two Canadians in China, he then mentioned that China’s “competent authorities took compulsory measures in accordance with the law”.
On the occasion of a speech he also lashed out at claims that China is an autocracy, and violating human rights. Before going on to brag that China had become a world economic power, while it took the west hundreds of years to achieve that position.
Regarding a possible decision by Canada to join allies in banning Huawei from developing a 5G network, he warned of retaliation adding that the arrest of Meng was “back-stabbing by a friend”.
China has since blocked imports of Canadian canola, an important export crop for Canada, and is creating bureaucratic delays for other Canadian imports, and is possibly going to target Canadian pork imports as well.
Experts say the harsh tone by Lu Shaye and others in positions of authority is an extension of a China that is growing in both economic and military power and a country that will no longer tolerate the idea that democracy and transparency of government is a superior system to that of the Communist Party doctrine.
The new posting for Lu Shaye would leave both countries without ambassadors after Canada’s ambassador resigned in January over a comment on the Meng situation.
Additional information-sources
- Hill Times: Op-ed: Lu Shaye: Jan 9/19: double standard
- Associated Press (South China Morning Post): Jan 18/19: Back-stabbing and warning
- Globe and Mail: N Vanderklippe: Jun 4/19: Chinese ambassador to Canada leaving
- PostMedia: Smith/Forrest: Shaye being promoted to Paris
- CTV: R Gilmore: Jun 4/19: China’s ambassador on 5G
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