Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday warned that China is “play[ing] aggressive games” to undermine democratic institutions amid reports Beijing interfered in the nation’s federal elections.
His comments came after a news report that Beijing had funded a “clandestine network” of candidates in Canada’s 2019 election and just days after the federal police force said it was investigating a secret network of illegal Chinese “police stations” in Toronto.
The allegations — which came on the same day that a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow had previously interfered in US elections — are likely to intensify concerns about the scope of foreign intrusion in Canadian domestic politics.
Photo: Reuters
“We have taken significant measures to strengthen the integrity of our elections processes and our systems, and we’ll continue to invest in the fight against election interference, against foreign interference of our democracy and institutions,” Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
“Unfortunately, we’re seeing countries, state actors from around the world, whether it’s China or others, are continuing to play aggressive games with our institutions, with our democracies,” he said.
Trudeau’s remarks followed reporting from Global News that Canadian intelligence had concluded Beijing worked to undermine the democratic process in Canada in multiple elections, including votes held in 2019 and last year.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) briefed the prime minister, as well as senior Cabinet ministers, in January about China’s attempts, the report said.
The efforts are believed to include placing agents in the offices of lawmakers to influence policy in China’s favor, as well as attempts to “co-opt and corrupt” former Canadian officials to gain political power and influence in the nation’s capital.
It is unclear if the CSIS, or the federal government, believe the efforts were successful.
Former Canadian ambassador to China David Mulroney said the allegations were “far more aggressive” than previously suspected.
“Just when you think some allegations against China are exaggerated, you find that they’ve in fact been understated.” Mulroney said.
“These represent a malicious, dangerous threat to our democracy,” he said.
Election interference attempts have targeted members from both the Liberal and Conservative parties.
“We had evidence of interference in the last general election through proxies that were spreading disinformation on Chinese-language social media platforms, which interfered in a number of [electoral districts] with significant Chinese communities,” Conservative lawmaker Michael Chong (莊文浩) told the Guardian.
He said a number of incidents of harassment against prominent Uighur and Tibetan students at Ontario universities had been “coordinated” through Toronto’s Chinese consulate.
The CSIS believes the consulate was behind a large financial transaction to at least 11 federal election candidates and Chinese government-affiliated operatives who worked as campaign staffers — C$250,000 (US$185,251) was allegedly transferred through a provincial Ontario lawmaker to a federal election candidate.
Asked to comment on the allegations, the prime minister’s office said: “Protecting Canadians’ security is our top priority.”
“Threats, harassment or intimidation of Canadian citizens are unacceptable, and all allegations of interference are investigated thoroughly by our security agencies, it said. “As threats evolve, so must the methods used to address them. That is why the prime minister has given the minister of public safety the mandate to improve collaboration between Canadian security agencies.”
In Beijing, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) yesterday told a regular news conference that China has “no interest” in Canada’s internal affairs.
“State-to-state relations can only be built on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit,” he said. “China-Canada relations are no exception. Canada should stop making remarks that hurt China-Canada relations.”
Additional reporting by AFP
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS