Canadian PM slams ‘political’ detentions, after China spy charges

OTTAWA: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday blasted China’s detention of two Canadians for “political ends,” following charges against them for spying.

His comments came after China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate on Friday said it had begun the prosecution of ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, who were “suspected of foreign espionage” and “providing state secrets.”

The move, 18 months after their arrest, came just weeks after a Canadian judge ruled that proceedings to extradite Chinese Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou to the United States will go ahead.

Relations between Canada and China have hit rock bottom over the arrests.

At his daily briefing on Monday, Trudeau said, “This arbitrary detention of Canadian citizens is unacceptable and deeply concerning, not just to Canadians but to people around the world who see China using arbitrary detentions as a means to political ends.”

Trudeau said “we deplore... a political decision made by the Chinese government,” which continues to pressure Canada.

Beijing has also blocked billions of dollars’ worth of Canadian agricultural exports.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday that Beijing was working on the case of the detained Canadians “according to the rule of law in China.”

Wang Lutong told reporters at a briefing that the pair were guaranteed “every right during their detention.”

Earlier Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded that China free the two Canadians, and said in a statement that his country “rejects the use of these unjustified detentions to coerce Canada.”

Australia, Britain, France, Germany, the EU and others have also pressed China over the detention of the Canadians.