China restricts group tours to Canada: Here's why Beijing is retaining travel ban

BEIJING - Despite allowing group tours to multiple countries, China has still kept Canada restricted for group tours in what appears to be a fresh diplomatic spat between the two countries.

Last week Beijing lifted a COVID-era ban on group tours to countries including the United States, Germany, Japan and Australia amongst others, but group tours to Canada have not been allowed even now.

In a recent statement, the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa said that the reason behind the snub was "the Canadian side has repeatedly hyped up the so-called 'Chinese interference'".

'Rampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words are rising significantly in Canada' and 'the Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the safety and legitimate rights of overseas Chinese citizens and wishes they can travel in a safe and friendly environment' the embassy stated.

Both countries have been exchanging barbs for quite a long period of time now but their relations hit a new low this year amid accusations of Beijing's meddling in Canada's elections and the attempted intimidation of MPs that prompted the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei in May.

On the other hand, China sent home a Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde from Canada's consulate in Shanghai.

Group tours from China to Canada were first allowed in 2010 but in 2018, bilateral relations suffered a blow when Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was detained in Canada at the request of the US; subsequently, two Canadians were arrested in China.

According to the Canada China Business Council, the number of tourists to Canada from China fell in 2019. In a report, it also said over 700,000 Chinese tourists traveled to Canada in 2018.

China - which was alleged of not dealing with the Coronavirus properly - began easing travel restrictions for both visitors and its citizens early this year and had allowed group tours recently but Canada was kept off the list of approved destinations; however, the official statement by the embassy confirms that the diplomatic tussle might linger on for few more months at least.