Beijing-Ottawa relations have come to a head after a report last week revealed that Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei intimidated a Canadian lawmaker and his family.
EDnews informs via DW that China expelled a diplomat from Canada's consulate in Shanghai on Tuesday in retaliation for Canada expelling a Chinese diplomat a day earlier.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde had been asked to leave the country by May 13 in what it described as a "reciprocal countermeasure to Canada's unscrupulous move."
"We advise the Canadian side to immediately stop its unreasonable provocations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said after the tit-for-tat consular expulsions. "If the Canadian side doesn't listen to this advice and acts recklessly, (China) will take resolute and forceful retaliatory measures, and all consequences will be borne by the Canadian side."
It comes after Canada announced on Monday that will expel a diplomat from the Chinese consulate in Toronto for interfering with the country's democratic matters.
"Canada has decided to declare persona non grata Mr. Zhao Wei," Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement.
"I have been clear: we will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs. Diplomats in Canada have been warned that if they engage in this type of behavior, they will be sent home," she said in the statement, adding that the decision to expel the diplomat was taken after careful consideration.