Canada Warns Citizens About Going to China as Tensions Escalate

Tensions between the two nations escalated after a Canadian was sentenced to death for smuggling drugs in China.

Tensions between China and Canada have escalated after a Canadian citizen was sentenced to death over drug charges in China. 

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Canada has reportedly cautioned its citizens travelling to China that the “risk level remains unchanged” after a Canadian was sentenced to death over charges of smuggling drugs in the Asian country.

The travel advisory was updated amid increasing tensions between Canada and China over the arrest of Huawei Executive Meng Wanzhou in December.

“We encourage Canadians to exercise a high degree of caution in China due to risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws,” the statement released by the Canadian Foreign Ministry, read, reported PTI.

Canadian national Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was sentenced to death on Monday, 14 January, at the Dalian Intermediate People's Court in northeast China's Liaoning Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Canada updated a travel advisory to its citizens over travelling to China. (Photo courtesy: Twitter/@joannachiu)

Why Was a Canadian Given Death Sentence by China?

Schellenberg, who was accused of drug smuggling and drug trafficking within China's zero-tolerance drug laws, was originally sentenced to 15 years in prison and a 150,000 yuan (USD 22,000) forfeiture, PTI reported.

His retrial in Dalian came against the backdrop of the Chinese government's anger over Wanzhou’s arrest.

Schellenberg, who was reportedly detained in Liaoning province in 2014, was first tried for drug smuggling by the Dalian court in March 2016. It was not until two years later that the court handed down a verdict, convicting and jailing him for 15 years in November 2018. He was also fined 150,000 yuan.

He appealed the Liaoning High People's Court, where prosecutors argued that his sentence was lenient. The court heard the appeal on 29 December and ordered a retrial in the lower court.

Schellenberg told the court on Monday that he came to China after travelling through Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, and that a friend had recommended taking the help of a translator. "This is a case about Xu Qing (translator). He is an international drug smuggler and a liar," news agency AFP quoted him as telling the court, reported PTI.

Xu was also one of the witnesses who appeared on behalf of the prosecution. Two other Chinese men were also involved in the case – one was given life imprisonment while the other was awarded a suspended death sentence.

Death Sentence of ‘Extreme Concern’: Trudeau

Responding to the news, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday voiced "extreme concern" over sentencing, PTI reported.

“It is of extreme concern to us as a government, as it should be to all our international friends and allies, that China has chosen to arbitrarily apply death penalties in cases, as in this case facing a Canadian.”

Justin Trudeau, Canada PM, at a press conference

Before news broke that China had awarded death penalty to Schellenberg, William Nee, a researcher at Amnesty International, had said: "Amnesty International is very concerned that Robert Schellenberg may be sentenced to death, particularly as drug-related offences do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes', to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law.”

Other Foreign Nationals Convicted by China on Similar Charges

This isn’t the first time China has awarded death sentence to a foreign national accused of smuggling.

In 2014, a Japanese national sentenced in Dalian was executed for drug offences, Tokyo diplomats told PTI. According to the Philippines government, China executed a Filipina drug trafficker in 2013, ignoring Manila's request to spare her life.

(With inputs from PTI)