Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned China Friday not to threaten Canada with economic repercussions for bringing up the Asian country's human rights record and standing up for the rights of Canadians abroad.

"I would point out to any Chinese official that just as a matter of fact, China had a huge trade surplus with this country, so it would be in the interest of the Chinese government to make sure any dealings on trade are fair and above board," Harper told reporters Friday in Halifax.

The prime minister's comments came in response to statements from a Chinese official, who warned that Ottawa's criticism of China's human rights record could be straining relations between the two countries.

'When a Canadian citizen is ill-treated and when the rights of a Canadian citizen need to be defended, I think it's always the obligation of the government of Canada to vocally and publicly stand up for that Canadian citizen.'—Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Harper also dismissed reports suggesting trade between Canada and China has been hurt by a lack of trust between the two countries and hit out at critics from within Canada's own political ranks.

"There are those in the opposition who will say, 'You know, China is an important country, so we shouldn't really protest these things … so maybe someday we'll be able to sell more goods there,'" said Harper, who was in Halifax to speak the annual general meeting of Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservative party.

"I think that's irresponsible. I think the government of Canada, when a Canadian citizen is ill-treated and when the rights of a Canadian citizen need to be defended, I think it's always the obligation of the government of Canada to vocally and publicly stand up for that Canadian citizen.

"That is what we will continue to do."

Harper was referring to the case of Huseyin Celil, a Canadian activist jailed in China for alleged terrorist links.

Diplomatic counsel denied 

Celil, 37, was arrested in March in Uzbekistan, then extradited to China three months later to face charges he had originally been arrested for in the early 1990s.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Thursday that Celil's case is being handled according to Chinese law and is not subject to consular agreements.

Harper described the move as illegal and insisted Chinese authorities have yet to provide any evidence of wrongdoing.

"They continue to deny his Canadian citizenship, which was granted under our law and international law," Harper said.

"So we continue to protest this at every level, up to and including my own (recent) meeting with the president (of China). We will continue to vocalize these concerns."

Celil made a court appearance last week in Urumqi, the capital of China's western Xinjiang region. There was no Canadian diplomat present — a violation of Celil's rights as a Canadian citizen.

Celil's relatives have said they believe he is being tortured.

Celil, a member of the Uighur minority group in Xinjiang, was born and raised in China. Chinese authorities have long maintained that Uighur militants are leading a violent Islamic separatist movement.

With files from the Canadian Press