China's
execution of four Canadian citizens on drug-related charges has reignited
tensions between the two nations, with Ottawa strongly condemning the move and
urging Beijing to reconsider its stance on capital punishment.
Canadian
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed the executions, stating that all four
individuals held dual citizenship, though their identities have been withheld.
The Chinese embassy in Canada pushed back against Ottawa's response, calling it
"irresponsible" and insisting that the cases were handled
according to Chinese law.
"China
has fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals
concerned," the embassy stated, emphasizing that the evidence
against them was "solid and sufficient." However,
Canadian officials, including Joly and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,
had repeatedly pleaded for clemency, citing Canada’s firm opposition to the
death penalty.
China,
known for its strict drug policies, does not recognize dual citizenship and
routinely imposes capital punishment for serious offenses such as drug
trafficking, corruption, and espionage. Though precise figures remain
classified, human rights organizations believe China carries out more executions
than any other country.
The case
has drawn sharp criticism from international rights groups. Ketty Nivyabandi of
Amnesty International Canada decried the executions as "shocking
and inhumane," urging Canada to take a stronger stance against
China's use of the death penalty. "We are devastated for the families of the
victims, and we hold them in our hearts as they try to process the
unimaginable," she said.
While
Canada has faced similar diplomatic clashes with China in the past, this latest
development further complicates a relationship already strained by past
disputes. In 2019, Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was sentenced to death in
China for drug smuggling in a widely criticized ruling, though he was not among
those recently executed.
The
broader diplomatic context remains fraught with tension. Relations between
Canada and China have been rocky since 2018 when Canada detained Huawei
executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States. In what was widely
seen as retaliation, China arrested two Canadian nationals, who were later
released. China recently imposed tariffs on Canadian agricultural products in
response to Canada’s levies on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum.
Allegations of Chinese interference in Canada’s elections have also fueled
political friction.
As Ottawa
grapples with the implications of these executions, Joly reaffirmed Canada’s
commitment to advocating for its citizens still on death row in China. "We
will continue to strongly condemn these executions and advocate for leniency
for other Canadians facing similar situations," she stated.
This
latest chapter in Canada-China relations underscores the deepening divide
between the two nations, with human rights, trade, and geopolitical concerns
further complicating an already delicate diplomatic landscape.