Executions show China has no intention of improving relations with Canada: Michael Kovrig

Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig says China's execution of Canadians is 'demonstrating what kind of China it wants the world to see.'

Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig says news China has executed what was later revealed to be four Canadians in recent months shows the country has no intention of improving bilateral relations.

“What it clearly demonstrates is that any hopes that China might be willing to extend some olive branches or try to heal rifts in the relationship, to try to thaw things out, I think this pretty clearly demonstrates that that is not terribly high on its list of priorities,” Kovrig said in an interview with CTV News Channel’s Power Play.

Kovrig – who was detained in China for more than 1,000 days, between 2018 and 2021 – said “this is Beijing demonstrating once again, that it never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”

• 4 Canadians were executed by China in recent months, Joly confirms

On Wednesday, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) first confirmed the government was aware of an unspecified number of Canadians were executed in China earlier this year. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly later told reporters on Parliament Hill that it was four dual citizens who were executed, for what China alleged were drug-related offenses.

“Canada strongly condemns China’s use of the death penalty,” a spokesperson for GAC wrote in an email to CTV News on Wednesday. “Canada repeatedly called for clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels and remains steadfast in its opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases, everywhere.”

Joly says that outreach included efforts from both her, and then-prime minister Justin Trudeau.

The news of the killings was first reported by The Globe and Mail Wednesday morning.

“It’s not surprising that China would execute people, but what is relatively unusual is that it would execute foreign citizens,” Kovrig told Power Play host Vassy Kapelos. “It hasn’t done that in recent years, to my knowledge.”

“So that is relatively extreme, particularly because the Chinese government is mindful of international perceptions of it,” he added. “It does care how other countries view it. So to take this step is, frankly, demonstrating what kind of China it wants the world to see.”

The former diplomat said while Beijing could be “making friendly entreaties” to countries like Canada to cause a wedge between the United States and its allies, it’s “clearly demonstrating” no intention to make those efforts.

China’s embassy in Ottawa also confirmed the executions, and indicated the country always imposes severe penalties for “drug-related crimes.”

“The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Canada wrote in an email to CTV News. “The Chinese judicial authorities have handled the cases in strict accordance with the law, and have fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned.”

Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said in an interview on CTV News Channel that “the timing of this is interesting.”

She says many had been speculating in recent months that China could go on a “charm offensive” with Canada and European countries, but that carrying out the executions despite diplomatic intervention shows that “may not be the case.”

“The fact that China was not willing to make any concessions on this, that it chose to go ahead with the executions, and the timing of this suggests that perhaps the desire to normalize or stabilize relations is not actually sincere on their side,” Nadjibulla said.

Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian ambassador to China, agreed, saying in an interview on CTV News Channel on Wednesday that he doesn’t believe the timing of the executions were “accidental,” but rather an indication from China that Canada will have to capitulate if it wants to see bilateral relations improve.

You can watch Kovrig’s full interview on CTV News Channel’s Power Play in the video player at the top of this article.

With files from CTV News’ Stephanie Ha