China's embassy in Canada has issued a statement defending the recent execution of four Canadian citizens, emphasizing its commitment to upholding the rule of law. The embassy asserted that any individual convicted of violating Chinese laws must face accountability, highlighting the nation's "zero tolerance" policy toward drug-related crimes.
In its statement, the embassy called on Canada to respect China's judicial sovereignty and urged Canadian authorities to cease making what it described as "irresponsible remarks" to foster improved diplomatic relations. The embassy maintained that it possessed "solid and sufficient" evidence in each case leading to the executions.
“Drug-related crime is a severe crime recognized worldwide as extremely harmful to the society, and will be faced with severe penalties in all countries. China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude towards the drug problem,” stated China's embassy in Canada.
The embassy further confirmed that Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian national, remains detained in China. Schellenberg was initially sentenced to 15 years in December 2018 for attempting to smuggle 225 kilograms of methamphetamine to Australia. In 2019, his charge was escalated to execution. Additionally, two other Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, have been detained and charged with espionage, with their charges also upgraded to execution in 2019.
Charlotte MacLeod, a Canadian official, expressed Canada's strong opposition to the death penalty.
“Canada strongly condemns China’s use of the death penalty, which is irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity,” she stated.
The Chinese embassy's statement included a confirmation that the federal government continues to advocate for clemency for Schellenberg. Diplomatic tensions between Canada and China have been strained further by these developments.
“The Chinese judicial authorities have handled the cases in strict accordance with the law, and have fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned,” emphasized China's embassy in Canada.
Mélanie Joly, another Canadian official, also voiced condemnation over the executions.
“There are four Canadians that have been executed and therefore we are strongly condemning what happened,” she said.