China expels Canadian diplomat in tit-for-tat response

Beijing: China has announced the expulsion of a Canadian diplomat in retaliation for Ottawa's ordering a Chinese consular official to leave over alleged threats he made against a Canadian lawmaker and his family.

The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said China was deploying a "reciprocal countermeasure to Canada's unscrupulous move," which it said it "firmly opposes."

It said the Canadian diplomat based in the business hub of Shanghai has been asked to leave by May 13 and that China "reserves the right to take further actions in response."

Canada earlier on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is expelling a Chinese diplomat whom Canada's spy agency alleged was involved in a plot to intimidate an opposition lawmaker and his relatives in Hong Kong.

A senior government official said Toronto-based diplomat Zhao Wei has five days to leave the country. (AP)