Photo: VCG

Regarding Ottawa's condemnation of China for executing four Canadian citizens on drug-related charges, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning made a response at a regular press conference on March 20. She stated that combating drug-related crimes is the responsibility of all countries. China is a country that upholds the rule of law, and the law treats everyone the same regardless of nationality. Previously, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly claimed that she and former prime minister Justin Trudeau had "asked for clemency" over the past few months "as part of an unsuccessful effort." China is one of the countries with the strictest drug control measures in the world. It is not surprising that drug-related crimes are severely punished under Chinese law. On the contrary, it is quite absurd for Ottawa to speak out for drug traffickers.

It is essential to clarify that the verdicts rendered by Chinese judicial authorities are based on solid legal grounds and facts. According to Article 347 of China's Criminal Law, persons who smuggle, traffic in, transport or manufacture opium of not less than 1,000 grams, heroin or methylaniline of not less than 50 grams or other narcotic drugs of large quantities shall be sentenced to death. 

In this case, the facts of the crime are clear, and the chain of evidence is complete, fully meeting the statutory sentencing criteria. Furthermore, Article 6 of China's Criminal Law stipulates that the Law shall be applicable to anyone who commits a crime within the territory and territorial waters and space of China, except as otherwise specifically provided by law.

Therefore, several facts are abundantly clear: First, China has territorial jurisdiction over related criminal activities. It is reasonable, legal and responsible to handle drug-related crimes in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations, while ensuring the legitimate rights of the individuals involved and the consular rights of the Canadian side. Second, Canada does not enjoy "extraterritorial jurisdiction" in China. The Canadian side's "strong condemnation" of China's crackdown on drug crimes, along with its calls for leniency for other Canadians in similar situations, amounts to interference in China's judicial sovereignty. Third, Canada selectively ignores China's legal provisions, "applying the rule of law only when convenient and discarding it when not" - this starkly contrasts with its self-proclaimed image as a "model of the rule of law."
This is not the first time that Ottawa has defended drug traffickers. In 2021, when Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was tried in China for smuggling over 222 kilograms of methamphetamine, the Canadian Embassy in China attempted to defend him. The amount of methamphetamine smuggled by Schellenberg is shocking; once it enters the market, it is enough to destroy tens of thousands of families. China's judiciary imposed a strict sentence in accordance with the law, fulfilling its responsibility to protect the lives and safety of its 1.4 billion people. 

It is also worth noting that Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act explicitly criminalizes drug trafficking and allows for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for methamphetamine-related offenses.

This hypocritical "transoceanic defense of drug criminals" should have ended long ago. It is important to stress that attempts by certain Canadian voices to politicize this case and link it to China-Canada relations are unwise. Judicial cases should not be used to disrupt diplomatic relations. In reality, China and Canada share broad common interests in areas such as climate change and trade - in 2024, the bilateral goods import and export value is $93.041 billion.

If Canada truly cares about protecting the interests of its citizens, it should educate them to abide by the laws of the host country, rather than turning individual cases into political tools to accuse or criticize China. 

Drugs pose a public hazard to human society, and China has consistently taken a tough stance against drug-related crimes. Data shows that from 2012 to 2021, China concluded over 950,000 drug-related criminal cases and made judgments against 1.02 million individuals. By 2023, it had signed 50 intergovernmental and inter-departmental drug control cooperation documents with more than 30 countries and regional organizations. This "zero tolerance" attitude toward drugs is not only a solemn commitment to the life and health rights of 1.4 billion Chinese people but also reflects a sense of responsibility toward the international community.

Currently, international drug trafficking and use continue to proliferate, posing a serious threat to human survival and development. If Canada truly cares about human rights, it should abandon its biases against China and work hand in hand with China to engage in global drug control cooperation.

In recent years, from the false accusations of "forced labor" in Xinjiang to recent judicial claims that disregard the facts, Canada's diplomacy toward China has been trapped in a mind-set of "value supremacy." This is one of the reasons for the bumpy state of China-Canada relations in recent years. 

Such politicization and weaponization of human rights and legal issues cannot help improve China-Canada relations; instead, they only exacerbate the bilateral trust deficit. China has consistently advocated for the development of China-Canada relations based on mutual respect and equality. It hopes Canada will establish an objective and rational understanding of China, stop manipulating "value diplomacy" and "human rights diplomacy," and actively and pragmatically work to bring the bilateral relationship back onto a healthy track.