Canada releases Huawei boss who had close ties to China
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TORONTO – Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said on Sunday (9/26) that Canada is open to normalizing relations with China. The announcement came two days after Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, was released after nearly three years under house arrest in Vancouver.
Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, returned to China on Friday after reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors to end a bank fraud case. This resulted in his extradition being quashed in a Canadian court.
After Meng flew to China, two citizens Canada those held by the Chinese authorities, namely Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have been released. Kovrig and Spavor were arrested days after Meng’s arrest in Vancouver in December 2018 under a US warrant.
Garneau said Radio-Canada News that, the Canadian government is now taking a fourfold approach to China which is side by side, competes, cooperates and challenges. He said Canada would compete with China on issues such as trade and cooperation on climate change. But Canada also opposes China’s treatment of Uighurs, Tibetans and Hong Kong.
“Let me tell you, our eyes are wide open. We’ve been saying this for some time. There is no path to a relationship with China as long as Michael (Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor) are in custody,” Garneau said.
Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and Garneau received Kovrig and Spavor on Saturday upon their arrival in Calgary, Alta. The two have spent more than 1,000 days in solitary confinement in China.
Spavor is accused of providing photos of military equipment to Kovrig and sentenced to 11 years in prison in August. Meanwhile, Kovrig awaits his conviction.
Trudeau pledged to improve relations with China after becoming prime minister in 2015. He wants to build on his father’s success in establishing diplomatic relations with China in 1970.
But before Meng’s arrest, Canada’s repeated questions about China’s position on human rights angered Beijing. The two countries have failed to come together.
source: Reuters
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