Canada police investigating China meddling claims

Canadian police have opened an investigation into allegations China sought to intimidate a member of parliament and his family.

The RCMP commissioner said on Tuesday the investigation is one of several by the federal force looking into foreign election interference.

China has denied claims it attempted to intimidate Conservative MP Michael Chong over his criticism of Beijing.

Last month, Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat over the allegations.

In retaliation, China accused Canada of "slander and defamation" and expelled a Canadian diplomat based in Shanghai.

Canada's spy agency believes China sought details about Mr Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong in an effort to deter "anti-China positions".

It came after the politician put forward a motion in parliament in 2021 that declared China's treatment of its Uighur minority population a genocide. China denied the accusations and sanctioned Mr Chong shortly after.

On Tuesday, RCMP interim commissioner Michael Duheme told a parliamentary committee in Ottawa that is probing foreign interference that the police force was only made aware of the allegation related to Mr Chong through Canadian media.

A series of media reports, many based on leaked intelligence briefings and information accusing China of attempting to interfere in Canadian elections, have been published in recent months.

"When we were made aware of it, we approached Mr Chong and began the investigation," Mr Duheme told federal lawmakers.

The investigation is one of more than 100 current RCMP probes looking into foreign interference within Canada, he said.

The RCMP is also assisting election officials with investigating allegations of meddling by China in the last two federal elections.

Former Conservative party leader Erin O'Toole, speaking in the House of Commons last month, claimed he had been the target of a misinformation and "voter suppression" campaign by the Chinese government.

Jenny Kwan, a member of parliament for the left-leaning New Democratic Party, has also said she was targeted by China after accusing Beijing of human rights abuses against Muslim Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.

China has consistently denied any allegations that it attempted to interfere in Canadian politics, calling the accusations defamatory.

The expulsions and allegations of Chinese election interference in Canada have led to a significant deterioration in relations between Ottawa and Beijing.