Canada PM rebuked for remarks on drug dealer

Beijing said on Tuesday that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusation that China "arbitrarily" sentenced a Canadian drug smuggler to death is irresponsible and lacks the spirit of the rule of law.

"We urge the Canadian side to respect China's judicial sovereignty, correct mistakes and stop making irresponsible remarks," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news conference in Beijing.

Trudeau expressed "extreme concern" after Canadian national Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, convicted of smuggling over 222 kilograms of methamphetamine, was sentenced to death by a Chinese court on Monday. He said China has chosen to arbitrarily apply the death penalty.