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WORLD NEWS Saturday 20 June 2020

China charges 2 Canadians with spying in Huawei-linked case

By KEN MORITSUGU ing China's security: every-
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese thing he was doing was in
prosecutors charged two the open and well known
detained Canadians with to China's authorities," Inter-
spying Friday in an appar- national Crisis Group Presi-
ent bid to step up pressure dent and Chief Executive
on Canada to drop a U.S. Officer Robert Malley said
extradition request for a in a statement.
Huawei executive under The tensions appear to be
house arrest in Vancouver. causing further harm to
Michael Kovrig was Huawei's reputation in the
charged by Beijing on sus- Americas, with two of Can-
picion of spying for state se- ada's three major telecom-
crets and intelligence. Mi- munication companies an-
chael Spavor was charged nouncing earlier this month
in Dandong, a city near that they've decided not to
the North Korean border, use the Chinese tech giant
on suspicion of spying for a for their next-generation
foreign entity and illegally 5G wireless network.
providing state secrets.The Bell Canada announced
charges were announced that Sweden-based Er-
by China's highest prosecu- icsson will be its supplier
tor's office in brief social and Telus Corp. later an-
media posts. Residents pass by the Canadian Embassy in Beijing on Friday, June 19, 2020. nounced that it had also
Asked what evidence Associated Press selected Ericsson and
China had against the Nokia.
two, Chinese foreign min- tinue to press the Chinese working on a graduate de- learned of the latest de- Huawei is the world's big-
istry spokesperson Zhao for their release and said gree. Kovrig and Spavor velopment with the two gest supplier of network
Lijian said only that each Canada's allies are equally are being held at an un- Michaels," Canadian Dep- gear used by phone and
is charged with "secretly concerned. disclosed location and up uty Prime Minister Chrystia internet companies, but
gathering state secrets for Both men have been held to now, have been denied Freeland said. "We will not has long been seen as a
overseas forces with partic- for 18 months. They were access to lawyers or family rest until they are able to front for spying by China's
ularly serious consequenc- detained shortly after the members. come home." military and its highly skilled
es." December 2018 arrest of China has also sentenced Freeland also said China security services.
"The facts are clear and Meng Wanzhou, a top ex- two other Canadians to must provide consular ac- The U.S. has urged Canada
the evidence solid and suf- ecutive at Chinese tech gi- death and suspended im- cess to them. Canadian to exclude Huawei equip-
ficient," Zhao told reporters ant Huawei. The daughter ports of Canadian canola, officials have not been ment from their next-gen-
at a daily briefing. Zhao of Huawei's founder was ar- while saying those moves granted consular access to eration wireless networks,
gave no details. rested at the request of U.S. were also unrelated to to them since mid-January. saying Huawei is legally
Canadian Prime Minister authorities who want her Meng's case. Kovrig worked as a Hong beholden to the Chinese
Justin Trudeau said he was on fraud charges related Relations between Cana- Kong-based analyst at the regime. The United States
"very disappointed" by Chi- to trade with Iran. da and China are at their non-government Interna- and Australia have banned
na's latest move and called A Canadian judge ruled lowest point since the tional Crisis Group. He pre- Huawei, citing concerns
it a very difficult time for the this month that the U.S. Chinese military's bloody viously worked as a diplo- it is an organ of Chinese
two Canadians and their extradition case against crackdown on pro-democ- mat for Canada. military intelligence — a
families. Meng could proceed to racy protests centered on "This is yet another arbitrary charge the company de-
"The Chinese authorities the next stage. Beijing's Tiananmen Square and baseless step in a case nies. q
have directly linked the China has denied any ex- in 1989. that has been arbitrary and Associated Press writer Rob
case of the two Michaels plicit link between her case "I was heartbroken and baseless from day one. Mi- Gillies in Toronto contribut-
to the judicial proceedings and the lengthy detention I was really angry when I chael was not endanger- ed to this report.q
against Mrs. Meng, which is of the two Canadian men,
extremely disappointing," but outside experts see
Trudeau said. "These Ca- them as tied and Chinese
nadian citizens are being diplomats have strongly im-
held for no other reason plied a connection.
than the Chinese govern- Meng has been released
ment being disappointed on bail while her extradi-
with the independent pro- tion case proceeds in court
ceedings of the Canadian and is residing in one of her
judiciary." two Vancouver mansions
Trudeau said they will con- where she is reportedly