.jpg)
China has expelled Canada's consul in Shanghai in retaliation for Ottawa sending home a Chinese diplomat accused of trying to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker.
On Monday, Canada declared China's diplomat Zhao Wei "persona non grata" and ordered her to leave the country, reports BBC.
In response, China on Tuesday ordered the removal of Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, Canada's diplomat in its Shanghai Consulate.
"China reserves the right to further react," Beijing said in a statement.
Both diplomats have five days to exit the countries.
Canada had accused China of targeting its opposition lawmaker Michael Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong after Chong accused China of human rights abuses.
Last Thursday, Canada summoned China's ambassador to reiterate that Canada would not tolerate interference in its affairs.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been strained since the detention of Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou, held in Canada on US fraud charges in 2018, and Beijing's subsequent arrest of two Canadians on spying charges. All three were freed in 2021.
At the time, China insisted the two cases were not linked, but critics accused Beijing of using the Canadians as political bargaining chips.
Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly on Monday declared Zhao a "persona non grata", a Latin phrase for an "unwelcome person".
China called the move "unscrupulous" and declared the same of Lalonde - saying it was a "reciprocal countermeasure".
"China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this and has lodged serious démarches and strong protest to Canada," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.
China last week accused Canada of "slander and defamation" over the claims Beijing targeted Chong and his family.
In March, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an independent special rapporteur to investigate the interference claims.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
