China is threatening to use its economic muscle in retaliation over Canada's decision to grant honorary citizenship on the Dalai Lama.
Zang Weidong, minister-counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Ottawa, said China has relayed its disapproval to the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and demanded that Canada continue to recognize Tibet as a part of China.
China is Canada's second-largest trading partner and Zang hinted that Canada's decision could bring economic repercussions.