After the case of two Canadians arrested in China. Canadian Ambassador to China leaving post

Canada’s ambassador to China said on Monday he will leave his post soon after a two-year stint where he helped secure the freedom of two Canadian detainees, despite icy relations between Beijing and Ottawa.

The departure of Dominic Barton, which will take effect December 31st, leaves an important diplomatic point open at a time when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government is reconsidering its more assertive China policy.

Barton said in a statement that it was “the honor of a lifetime” to work to free the two men. Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained for almost three years before being released in September. The two were jailed shortly after Canadian police apprehended a top Huawei Technologies Co Inc executive on a US warrant.

Conservative leader Erin O’Toole said Trudeau mishandled the relationship with China, which he now says is a disaster. He told reporters that Canada should consider a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics, a step that US President Joe Biden will announce this week.

Source: dailymail – Reuters