“Combating drug crimes is the common responsibility of all countries,” said Mao Ning, China’s foreign ministry spokesman.
China’s embassy also released a statement defending its policies.
“Drug-related crime is a severe crime recognized worldwide as extremely harmful to society. China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude towards the drug problem,” the statement read.
China remains secretive about its execution statistics, though Amnesty International and other rights groups estimate thousands of executions occur annually.
Strained Relations Between Canada and China
The executions further strain the already tense diplomatic relationship between Canada and China. Several events over recent years have fueled tensions, including:
- The 2018 arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive in Vancouver on a U.S. warrant, led to China detaining two Canadians on espionage charges.
- Canada’s criticism of China’s security crackdown in Hong Kong and treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority.
- Allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian elections in 2019 and 2021.
- The expulsion of a Chinese diplomat from Canada in 2023 was based on accusations that he had targeted a Canadian opposition politician and his family.
China’s recent sentencing of a former Chinese engineer to death for allegedly leaking state secrets to a foreign power has also raised concerns about the country’s strict penal policies.
