China’s foreign ministry says the United States and Europe should be complaining about Canada’s arrest of a top Chinese business executive.
Spokeswoman Hua Chunying says the detention of Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer is a much bigger international offence than China’s own arrests of two Canadians, including a former diplomat.
In the last few days, officials from the United States, Britain and European Union have joined Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland’s complaints about the arrests of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in apparent retaliation for Meng Wanzhou’s arrest in Vancouver.
READ MORE: Freeland demands China release detained Canadians
Hua says Canada should “correct its mistakes” and stop acting at the behest of the United States, which wants Meng extradited to face fraud charges.
She says Kovrig and Spavor’s rights are being respected in Chinese custody.
Sources familiar with Kovrig’s situation say he’s been held without access to a lawyer, in a cell with the lights on around the clock, and questioned three times a day.
The Canadian Press
