Canada accuses China of arresting dozens of citizens after Huawei case
A Canadian government announcement on January 3 said China has detained 13 of its citizens since Ottawa detained the former Chief Financial Officer of China's Huawei in late November 2018.
At least eight of the 13 Canadians have been released so far.
International media has just learned that three cases of Canadian citizens being detained by China have been announced, including Michael Kovrig, Michael Spavor and Sarah McIver.
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Michael Kovrig (left) and Michael Spavor, two Canadian citizens arrested in China. Photo: Toronto Star. |
Sarah McIver, an English teacher in China, was detained by Beijing in December 2018 and has been released and returned to Canada. Meanwhile, Kovrig and Spavor remain in custody. Canadian consular officials met with them once in mid-December. Beijing has said Kovrig and Spavor “clearly violated” Chinese laws and regulations and are being investigated according to procedure. They are accused of threatening China’s national security.
Information from the Department of International Affairs of Canada (GAC) showing that dozens of Canadian citizens have been detained by Beijing has further raised concerns among Canadian businesses about the risk of becoming the target of retaliation from Beijing.
A Canadian government official told The Globe and Mail that about 200 Canadians are currently facing legal proceedings in China for various offenses or charges. Some have been released on bail, while others remain under restrictions. The source said the number of Canadians detained in China has been “relatively stable, with no apparent increase or decrease in recent years.”
Amid diplomatic tensions between Canada and China, Canadian officials are planning a visit to China on January 5. Senators Victor Oh and Joseph Day and MPs Michael Cooper, Geng Tan, Majid Jowhari and Chandra Arya will visit China soon. The trip is said to focus on the two Canadians detained in China since early December 2018.
