Independent MP Han Dong (Don Valley North, Ont.) says allegations have made him “the face of Chinese foreign interference” in federal elections, according to the Commission on Foreign Interference. Dong yesterday was granted standing at the China inquiry.

“Mr. Dong says these allegations have made him the face of Chinese foreign interference,” wrote Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, head of the inquiry. Dong had a legitimate interest in attending the inquiry after being “accused of willingly participating in Chinese interference efforts,” she wrote.

Dong as a Liberal re-election candidate in 2021 maintained close relationships with the Chinese Consulate in Toronto, according to a May 23 First Report by cabinet rapporteur David Johnson. “He continued to maintain close relationships with the China Consulate at least through the 2021 election,” it said.