CHINA-CANADA

1. Context

2. Background

• On May 9th, 2013, China declared a Canadian diplomat as persona non grata following Canada's announcement that it would expel a Chinese diplomat on account of allegations of involvement in a campaign to intimidate a Canadian politician.
• According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the decision to declare the consul of the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai as persona non grata is a reciprocal countermeasure in reaction to the Canadian government's decision to expel a Chinese diplomat, Zhao Wei accused of participating in an intimidation campaign against a Canadian politician who has accused China of human rights abuses.
• The Globe and Mail, a local newspaper, published a report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service which revealed that Wei was involved in information gathering on the Canadian Opposition Politician, Michael Chong to deter him from adopting anti-China positions.
• Canada claimed that it would not tolerate any foreign interference in its internal affairs and that the expulsion decision had been taken after careful consideration of all involved factors.

3. What is Persona non Grata?

• Persona non grata is a Latin phrase that means an unwelcome person.
• In diplomacy and foreign affairs, it refers to a diplomat or foreign person who has been prohibited by a country from entering or remaining in that country.
• The designation received diplomatic meaning at the Vienna Convention for Diplomatic Relations which was held in 1961.
• Article 9 of the treaty mentions that a country can declare any member of a diplomatic staff persona non grata at any time without explaining or explaining its decisions.
• In a normal case, the person declared persona non grata returns to their native country, and if they fail to do so within a reasonable period, the country may refuse to recognize the person as a member of a diplomatic mission.
• Article 9 also mentions that a person can be designated as a persona non grata even before arriving in the country.

4. Vienna Convention

5. Provisions of the Vienna Convention

• It outlines the Special rules, privileges, and immunities available to diplomatic missions to enable them to perform their duties without fear of coercion or harassment through the enforcement of local laws and to enable them to communicate securely with their governments.
• It provides for the withdrawal of a mission on economic or physical security grounds and breach of diplomatic relations due to the abuse of immunity or severe deterioration in relations between the states.
• The Convention also provides a framework for the protection of the interest of the sending state in the receiving state by a third state.
• It asserts the "inviolability" of a diplomatic mission, a cornerstone of international diplomacy that prohibits officials of the receiving state from entering the mission without the consent of the head of the mission.
• This provision also provides diplomats with diplomatic immunity from prosecution.
• The security of a High Commission or Embassy is the host nation's responsibility although diplomatic missions can also employ their security forces.
• Asides from diplomats, military and civilian personnel from the military departments who are present in the nation at the direction of the head of the diplomatic mission are also covered by the Vienna Convention.
• India acceded to the Convention in 1956 and enacted the Diplomatic Relations (Vienna Convention) Act, 1972 to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

6. What has led to strained Canada­China ties?

• Diplomatic ties between China and Canada have been unsteady for the past few years, especially after Canadian police arrested Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou on charges of fraud in 2018.
• A few days after her arrest, China detained two Canadians on spying charges a move then called "hostage diplomacy".
• After years of a standoff, all three were freed by their respective nations in 2021 after a deal was reached to release Ms. Meng.
• During that period, China suspended imports of canola from Canada, alleging pests in the shipment. The ban was, however, lifted last year amid a global shortage of food in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war. Since then, the rift has widened.
• Canada alleged that the Chinese government attempted to interfere in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections a charge Beijing vehemently denies.
• The two countries are also engaged in a technology battle. While Canada has limited the presence of Chinese firms in its communications infrastructure, Beijing believes the restrictions were imposed without any solid evidence.
• The tension between the leadership was also visible at the G20 summit in Indonesia last year when Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Canadian PM exchanged barbs over leaked details of their meeting about Chinese interference in domestic affairs.