Canada's government says China executed four Canadians earlier this year. Such executions of Westerners are relatively rare.

Canada has “strongly condemned” China’s execution this year of four Canadians over drug offences, underlining its objection to China’s use of the death penalty against its citizens that was publicly confirmed the day before.

China executed four Canadian dual citizens due to drug crimes in recent months, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said, as tensions rise between the two countries.