China repeats call for Canada to release Huawei CFO
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BEIJING • China repeated its call yesterday for Canada to release detained Huawei Technologies chief financial officer (CFO) Meng Wanzhou as soon as possible, ahead of her first extradition hearing later in the day.
"The resolve of the Chinese government to protect Chinese citizens' proper legal rights is firm and unwavering," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a press briefing.
He described Ms Meng's case as a "serious political matter", adding that "the US and Canada are abusing their bilateral extradition treaty".
Ms Meng, daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested at Vancouver International Airport on Dec 1, 2018, at the request of the United States, where she has been charged with bank fraud and accused of misleading HSBC about Huawei Technologies' business in Iran.
The 47-year-old Ms Meng has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition. Her arrest infuriated the Chinese government, which subsequently detained two Canadian citizens - Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor - on state security charges.
International observers have called the cases against the Canadians retaliation for Ms Meng's detention.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE