US, Canada call for 'immediate release' of detained Canadians

The United States has waded into a dispute between Canada and China over the detention of two Canadian citizens in the East Asian country.

Washington sided with Ottawa, calling for “immediate release” of two Canadians detained after the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive on a US warrant in Vancouver earlier this month.

“We are deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians earlier this month and call for their immediate release,” Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said.

China detained the two Canadians - Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat and an adviser with the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank, and businessman Michael Spavor - last week. 

It came after Canadian police arrested Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer for the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, at Vancouver’s airport on December 1.

Freeland said Meng, who is also the daughter of Huawei’s founder, was facing a “fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding” and that Canada would not “compromise nor politicize the rule of law and due process.”

The US State Department said Canada was “honoring its international legal commitments” in arresting Meng as it called for the immediate release of the two detainees.

The United States is seeking to have Meng extradited on allegations that she attempted to bypass unilateral American sanctions on Iran. US President Donald Trump has controversially suggested that he may use her case for bargaining in a trade war with China.

China says Canada has treated Meng in an “inhumane” manner, with Chinese media reports saying she has not been offered adequate medical care during her detention.

PressTV-China slams ‘inhumane’ treatment of Huawei executive

China has ratcheted up its protest over the arrest of Meng Wanzhou on a US warrant in Canada, calling reports of her treatment "inhumane" as she seeks her release on bail for health reasons.

The top Chinese tech executive is currently out on strict bail conditions in Canada, pending trial.

Europe and the United Kingdom have also thrown their support behind Vancouver.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the UK “has confidence Canada is conducting a fair and transparent legal proceeding” with respect to Meng.

The European Union also said the “declared motive” for the arrest and detention of Kovrig and Spavor “raises concerns about legitimate research and business practices in China.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said last week that China and Canada had “smooth” consular communication on the cases of the two Canadians and China had arranged consular access to both of them.

PressTV-China gives Canada consular access to 2nd arrested man

Canada says it has been granted consular access to the second of two men arrested in China over the past week.

China has said the Canadian detainees were suspected of engaging in activities that endangered China’s national security, denying a direct link to Meng’s arrest.

Meng’s arrest has further intensified US-China tensions despite an apparent truce in their trade war, leading to the summoning of both Canadian and US ambassadors by Beijing over the past days.

A third Canadian citizen, identified as Sarah McIver, is also claimed to have been arrested this week in China over visa violations.

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