Ottawa condemns China for executing Canadians as Beijing points to drug crime

By Canadian Press on March 19, 2025.

OTTAWA — China’s embassy in Ottawa says Beijing executed Canadian citizens earlier this year.

“The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient,” the embassy said in a media statement Wednesday.

“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.”

Global Affairs Canada and the Chinese embassy both declined to say how many Canadians were executed or report the names of those killed. Ottawa did confirm they did not include Abbotsford, B.C. native Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling by a Chinese court in 2019.

“Global Affairs Canada can confirm it is aware that, earlier this year, Canadians were executed in the People’s Republic of China,” the department wrote.

“Canada strongly condemns China’s use of the death penalty, which is irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity. Canada repeatedly called for clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels.”

In its statement, the Chinese embassy said Beijing has a “zero tolerance” approach to drug crime but did not explicitly say those executed had been convicted of drug crimes.

“China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude towards the drug problem,” the statement reads.

Beijing said that Canada should “respect the rule of law and China’s judicial sovereignty” and “stop making irresponsible remarks.”

The Globe and Mail first reported on the executions Wednesday morning.

The Chinese embassy told the Associated Press that China does not recognize dual citizenship.

China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined — the total is a state secret. China’s executions are typically carried out by gunshot, although lethal injections have been introduced in recent years.

Ottawa has had rocky relations with Beijing since late 2018 when Canada detained a high-profile Chinese executive at the request of the U.S., leading to the detainment of two Canadian citizens in China and various trade disruptions.

Canada deems China “an increasingly disruptive global power” with “interests and values that increasingly depart from ours.” Beijing says Canada needs to instead have “correct cognition” and focus on common goals instead of pointing to differences.

China imposed retaliatory tariffs on some Canadian farm and food imports earlier this month, after Canada imposed duties in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products. Beijing has bemoaned Ottawa following the U.S. in restricting the sale of Chinese goods, particularly electric vehicles.

— With files from The Associated Press.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2025.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press