Chinese authorities arrest Canadian diplomat as tensions between the two countries intensify in wake of arrest of Huawei executive
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is in contact with Chinese authorities over the arrest of a former Canadian diplomat in China that comes at a time of intensifying tensions between the two countries.
Trudeau spoke briefly to reporters Tuesday about the case of Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat who worked as a political lead for the prime minister’s official visit to Hong Kong in
2016.
“We have been in direct contact with ... Chinese diplomats and representatives,” Trudeau said in Ottawa.
“We are engaged on the file, which we take very seriously and we are, of course, providing consular assistance to the family.”
News of Kovrig’s detention comes after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver’s airport.
So far, it’s unclear if there is any link between the two cases.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale was asked Tuesday about the possibility Kovrig’s detention was in retaliation for Meng’s arrest.
“We’re obviously worried about whenever a Canadian is put in a situation that puts them at some risk or jeopardy, where there’s no apparent or obvious cause or trigger for that,” Goodale said.
“So, before we characterize it, we want to make sure we get all the facts. But at the same time we are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety.”
Goodale added the government is “sparing no effort” to find out everything it can about the case.
“What we know is that a Canadian is obviously in difficulty in China,” he said.
Kovrig has been working for the International Crisis Group in China as its northeast Asia senior adviser since February 2017.
The organization said in a statement Tuesday that it was aware of reports he had been detained and one of his colleagues wrote in a short email that it had no additional information.
“We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael’s whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release,” the organization said in a statement.
China’s embassy in Ottawa has yet to provide a response to a request for information.
Kovrig wrote on his LinkedIn profile that he served as the political lead on the “successful visit” Trudeau made to Hong Kong in September 2016. At the time, Kovrig worked in Canada’s consulate-general in Hong Kong.
In his profile, Kovrig describes himself as an international policy analyst and strategist “at the intersection of communication, politics, economics and global security.”
He says he has 20 years of international experience — and about 10 years working for Canada’s foreign-affairs department, domestically and in postings abroad.
A profile on the International Crisis Group’s website says Kovrig previously worked as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations in New York.
The group says Kovrig, who speaks Mandarin, conducts research and analysis on foreign affairs and global security issues in northeast Asia, particularly China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula.
The International Crisis Group describes itself as an “independent organization working to prevent wars and shape policies that will build a more peaceful world.”
Roland Paris, who served as Trudeau’s senior foreign-policy adviser until June 2016, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that Chinese “retaliation against Canadian interests or Canadians would be unacceptable and pointless.”
“It would have zero impact on judicial proceedings in Canada,” wrote Paris, a professor of international affairs at the University of Ottawa.
“Beijing should already know this from previous experience. Let cooler heads prevail.”
Meng’s arrest in Vancouver has heightened tensions between Canada and China. The United States is seeking to have Meng extradited on allegations that she tried to bypass American trade sanctions on Iran.
Huawei is one of the world’s largest telecom companies.
Beijing has warned Canada of unspecified “grave consequences” for the arrest of Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei.
She’s described in some circles as “corporate royalty” in China.