China Offers to Free 2 Canadians: Globe and Mail

Canada arrested a Huawei executive in December 2018, based on an extradition request from the US, accused of bank fraud and violation of US sanctions against Iran. Days later, China charged two Canadians with espionage. “China has repeatedly rejected suggestions there is any connection between its detention of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor and Canada’s arrest of Ms. Meng [Wanzhou] in December, 2018, on an extradition request from the United States,” reports Steven Chase and Robert Fife for the Globe and Mail. Yet China argues that Canada has authority to intervene by returning the Huawei executive and has offered an exchange. Canada’s prime minister rejects intervention and expressed support for the case to move through the legal system. Tensions run high between China and the US along with its allies. One former Canadian diplomat described China’s tactics as “hostage diplomacy.” – YaleGlobal