7 December 2018 10:59 am
Beijing on Thursday demanded the US and Canada clarify why Ottawa has detained Chinese telecom equipment giant Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Sabrina Meng Wanzhou at the request of the US Government.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said that both the US and Canadian authorities had yet to clarify their reason for arresting Meng, who is also one of Huawei’s deputy chairpersons and a daughter of its founder and Chief Executive Ren Zhengfei.
Geng said Beijing had lodged protests with Washington and Ottawa and offered consular assistance to Meng soon after she was detained.
Her arrest in Vancouver raises more doubts about a 90-day truce on trade struck between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on December 1, the day she was detained. “Wanzhou Meng was arrested in Vancouver on December 1,” Ian McLeod, a Canadian Justice Department spokesman, said. “She is sought for extradition by the United States, and a bail hearing has been set for Friday.
“As there is a publication ban in effect, we cannot provide any further detail at this time. The ban was sought by Ms Meng,” McLeod said.
She was arrested because she attempted to evade the trade embargo placed by the US on Iran, The Globe and Mail reported, citing a Canadian source with knowledge of the arrest. No other details were available.
The Chinese side has lodged stern representations with the US and Canadian sides, urged them to immediately correct the wrongdoing and restore the personal liberty of Ms Meng Wanzhou.
China, (South China Morning Post), 6 Dec 2018