Prime Minister Carney: “We will emphasize to Xi Jinping the importance of non-interference in Canada’s internal affairs.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this month to emphasize his position that China should not interfere in Canada's internal affairs.

According to foreign media outlets such as AFP on the 10th (local time), Prime Minister Carney met with reporters on this day and said that he plans to hold a meeting with President Xi on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Shenzhen, China on the 18th and 19th.

“The advantage of a meeting like this is that we can raise issues directly and candidly,” Carney said. “We will emphasize how important it is that China and other countries do not interfere in our internal affairs.”

He explained that he plans to discuss various pending issues with President Xi, including the expansion of trade between the two countries.

Prime Minister Carney identified China as Canada's biggest security threat ahead of the general election in April last year.

In Canada, allegations have been raised that China interfered in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Canadian intelligence agencies have identified circumstances in which China attempted to support candidates friendly to the country, and cases of spreading false information targeting candidates critical of China were also confirmed.

Suspicions also arose that China was monitoring or threatening local Chinese residents through unofficial police bases in Canada.

The final report of the official investigation into allegations of foreign election interference in Canada, released last year, identified China as "the most active actor in foreign interference activities targeting Canada's democratic institutions."

The Chinese government has consistently denied such allegations of interference in its internal affairs.

When the investigation report was released last year, the Chinese Embassy in Canada objected, saying, "China has never interfered in Canada's internal affairs and has no intention of doing so," and said the report contained "groundless accusations and slander."