Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying answers reporters’ questions on Canada’s misrepresentation of China’s handling of Canadian citizens in China according to law
Question: On August 10th and 11th, the Liaoning Higher People’s Court and Dandong City Intermediate People’s Court respectively publicly pronounced the Canadian defendants in the Schellenberg case and the Michael case. The Canadian side issued a statement in this regard, accusing the Chinese side of the relevant verdict of the two, saying that China “arbitrarily detained” Michael and made a “arbitrary” ruling on Schellenberg, and will continue to seek Michael’s release and treat Schellenberg with leniency. The European Union and the United Kingdom have also voiced their support for Canada. What is China’s comment?
answer:Canada assembles individual countries, disregarding facts, confuses right and wrong, and makes irresponsible remarks regarding the handling of cases of Canadian citizens in China by relevant Chinese courts. This has seriously violated China’s judicial sovereignty and violated the spirit of the rule of law. China strongly condemns this.
The Canadian defendant Schellenberg participated in organized international drug trafficking activities and smuggled 222.035 kilograms of methamphetamine with others. The amount of smuggled drugs was particularly huge. Michael was prosecuted for a crime that endangered China’s national security. The case was heard in court in March this year. Relevant Chinese courts have made public judgments on the above-mentioned cases in accordance with the law on the basis of investigating and ascertaining the facts of the crime. The legal rights of the two have been fully protected.
China is a country under the rule of law. Regardless of the nationality of the offenders, the judicial organs will deal with them in strict accordance with the law and treat them equally. Any foreign identity is not a “talisman”. On the one hand, Canada advertises a “state under the rule of law” and “judicial independence.” The true intention to politicize legal issues.
We urge the Canadian side to engage in “microphone diplomacy” and gang attempts to put pressure on China failed in the past and will never succeed in the future. We urge relevant countries to show the spirit of the rule of law, respect China’s judicial sovereignty, and stop making irresponsible remarks.