China has decided to declare a Shanghai-based Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde "persona non grata", a spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Lalonde, who has been asked to leave China before Saturday, is a consul at the Consulate-General of Canada in Shanghai.

It is a reciprocal countermeasure in response to Canada's unscrupulous move to declare a diplomat of the Consulate-General of China in Toronto "persona non grata", the spokesperson said.

China strongly condemns and firmly opposes the move and has lodged serious démarches and strong protest to Canada, the spokesperson added.

China reserves the right to take further steps, the spokesperson added.

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