China has warned Canada and the United States (U.S.) that it will take action against them if the U.S. went ahead demanding extradition of Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou.
Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei’s founder, Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver by Canadian Authorities, on request of the U.S., on December 1, 2018. She has been accused of bank fraud with regards to sanctions against Iran.
Meng was later released on bail and her next hearing is slated for February 6, 2019 where decision regarding extradition will be taken.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying has said during a press briefing, “China will take action in response to measures taken by the U.S. Everyone has to be held responsible for their own actions. Both the US and Canada should be aware of the seriousness of the case and take steps to rectify the mistake.”
The Canada’s ambassador to the United States (U.S.), David MacNaughton has said that the U.S. will soon make an official request for extraditing the Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou. Once the Canadian Government receives a request it will have to decide within 30 days if there are enough evidences to pursue extradition.
In a separate move, following Meng’s arrest, China has detained 2 Canadians, Michael Kovrig (Former Diplomat) and Michael Spavor (Businessman) on suspicion of activities endangering national security. Another Canadian, Robert Schellenberg, who was serving his 15 years imprisonment in China for drug smuggling, has been sentenced to death.
This has not gone down well with Canada. MacNaughton has complained to the United States that Canada was suffering from Chinese revenge for an arrest made at the U.S.’s request.
He was quoted as addressing the press, “We don’t like that it is our citizens who are being punished. The (Americans) are the ones seeking to have the full force of American law brought against (Ms. Meng) and yet we are the ones who are paying the price. Our citizens are.”
In the meanwhile, a group of former diplomats and academics have signed an open letter to the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, asking for the release of 2 detained Canadians.
