Spokeswoman: Canada’s double standards ‘hypocritical, impolite’

China rejects Canada’s gross interference in its judicial sovereignty by pointing fingers at the country’s handling of individual cases, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday.

Hua made the remark as the trial of Michael Kovrig was held in Beijing. The Associated Press cited an official from the Canadian embassy as saying that 26 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, had sent representatives to show their support outside the court.

“It would be a fool’s errand that serves no purpose at all to try to pressure China through ‘megaphone diplomacy’ or to gang up on China,” she said at a regular news briefing.

Along with Kovrig, another Canadian citizen, Michael Spavor is also suspected of endangering China’s national security.

Spavor’s trial was held on Friday in Dandong, Liaoning province.

“Because the cases involve State secrets, they are not being heard in open courts,” Hua said.

The spokeswoman noted that Canada’s criminal law also clearly stipulates that judges have the right to decide whether to hear a case in an open court or not out of the need to safeguard national security.

“It is hypocritical and impolite of the Canadian side to play double standards on legal issues,” Hua said.

China urged the China-based diplomats from the related countries to strictly abide by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and China’s laws and regulations, stop interfering in China’s judicial sovereignty and refrain from acting in ways inconsistent with their status, she added.

‘Let Meng return’

When asked whether the cases of the two Canadians are connected with the case of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer, Hua said that China has an explicit position on the issue.

“It is in every way a political incident in which Canada played a very disgraceful role. We urge the Canadian side to immediately release Ms Meng, who was arbitrarily detained for no reason, and let Ms Meng return to China safely at an early date,” Hua said.