China formally arrests two Canadian citizens for endangering national security after holding them in detention for months amid diplomatic tensions over Huawei
- Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, is accused of collecting national secrets
- Michael Spavor, a China-based businessman, is said to have stolen intelligence
- They could face death sentences if found guilty according to the Chinese law
- Beijing previously accused the pair of working together to spy on the nation
- Their detentions are viewed as China’s retaliation over Meng Wanzhou’s arrest
- Huawei’s CFO Meng was arrested in Canada under a U.S. warrant in December
- Comes after two other Canadians were sentenced to death over drug dealing
China has formally arrested two Canadian citizens for endangering the country’s national security after detaining them since late last year.
Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, is accused of scouting Chinese national secrets and intelligence for overseas entities.
While Michael Spavor, a China-based businessman who organised trips to North Korea, is said to have stolen Chinese national secrets and provided the information to foreign sources.
It remains unclear when their trials will be, but they could face death sentences if they are found guilty, according to Chinese law.
Michael Kovrig (pictured), a former Canadian diplomat, was detained in China on December 10
Michael Spavor (pictured) is a China-based businessman who organised trips to North Korea
Their detentions last December have been viewed as China’s retaliation on Canada after Meng Wanzhou, an executive of Huawei, was arrested in Vancouver under the request of the U.S.
Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Meng is facing extradition to the U.S.
The formal arrests of Kovrig and Spavor, confirmed by Beijing today, are likely to further increase the tensions between Ottawa, Beijing and Washington.
The two Canadians were detained separately in China shortly after Canada arrested Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on December 1.
The news came after two other Canadians had been sentenced to death by Chinese courts over drug dealing this year.
The detentions have been viewed as China’s retaliation on Canada after Meng Wanzhou (pictured), an executive of Huawei, was arrested in Vancouver under the request of the U.S
China has not drawn a direct link between its detention of the two Canadians and Meng’s arrest, but Beijing-based Western diplomats have called the cases a tit-for-tat reprisal
Beijing said that Kovrig and Spaover were formally arrested ‘recently’ without giving further details.
‘According to Chinese prosecutors’ approval, Michael Kovrig, due to being suspected of crimes of gathering state secrets and intelligence for foreign (forces), and Michael Spavor, for being suspected of crimes of stealing and illegally providing state secrets for foreign (forces), have in recent days been approved for arrest according to law,’ China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a daily news briefing.
China has taken the measures in accordance with the law, he said.
China hoped Canada ‘will not make irresponsible remarks’ about China’s law enforcement and judicial proceedings, Lu said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Donald Trump have denounced China’s ‘arbitrary detention’ of two Canadians.
The Canadian embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Canadian diplomats have been allowed to visit the two men in detention.
The arrest of Meng, the CFO of Chinese tech-giant Huawei, has sparked political tensions between China, Canada and the United States. Meng is awaiting extradition proceedings
Both Kovrig and Spavor were detained in December and have been held by Beijing for months
Beijing has previously accused Kovrig and Spavor of working together to spy on the nation.
Chinese authorities said in March that the ‘stolen’ intelligence had been passed onto Kovrig by Spavor, according to an article on China’s state-run Global Times in March.
Kovrig was working for the Crisis Group, a non-profit organisation, when he was detained in Beijing on December 10.
Authorities alleged that Kovrig had been collecting state secrets since 2017 by entering China with an ordinary passport and business visas.
Michael Spavor was said to have been ‘an important contact’ for Kovrig and provided intelligence for him.
China has said it is fully guaranteeing both men’s lawful rights. Kovrig also holds Hungarian citizenship.
The Crisis Group said today that Kovrig had been ‘unjustly detained’ and then ‘unjustly arrested’. The organisation insisted on Kovrig’s innocence and urged China to free him immediately.
In a statement, the group said: ‘After 158 days of arbitrary detention, Michael still hasn’t been allowed to see his family or a lawyer.
‘His work was completely transparent and out in the open for all to see, including for Chinese officials.’
Robert Malley, the President and CEO of the Crisis Group, said: ‘Nothing Michael did was harmful to China.
‘On the contrary, his work helped inform both China’s global policies and those around the world who make policies toward China in a manner that contributes to preventing and resolving conflict.’
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang (pictured) said the two Canadians were formally arrested ‘recently’ without giving further details at a daily press briefing today
With their formal arrest, Kovirg and Spavor could soon face trial, though it is unclear when that may be.
According to the Chinese Criminal Law, any individuals who steal, scout, purchase or illegally obtain national secrets and intelligence could face jail terms between five and 10 years.
But those whose behaviour causes ‘particularly serious damage to the country and its people’ and whose crime is ‘particularly serious’ can be given death sentences, according to clause number 113.
Justin Trudeau voiced strong concern over the charges put against Kovrig in March.
‘We are obviously very concerned with the position that China has taken,’ Trudeau told reporters.
Trudeau reiterated that Canada considers China to have arbitrarily detained both the former diplomat and his compatriot Spavor.
Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou, is seen leaving British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver on May 8. She has vowed to vigorously fight extradition to the U.S.
Meng, 47, is the daughter of Huawei’s billionaire founder, Ren Zhengfei.
She was arrested at Vancouver’s airport in December on a U.S. warrant and is fighting extradition on charges that she conspired to defraud global banks about Huawei’s relationship with a company operating in Iran.
Meng was released from jail in December on C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail and must wear an electronic ankle bracelet and pay for security guards. She has been living in a Vancouver home that was valued at C$5 million in 2018.
Both she and the company have denied the U.S. charges.
Meng vowed to vigorously fight extradition to the U.S. when she appeared at a Vancouver courthouse earlier this month to set a timetable for her upcoming extradition hearing.
Her arrest has sparked ongoing political tensions between China, Canada and the United States.
China has not drawn a direct link between its detention of the two Canadians and Meng’s arrest, but Beijing-based Western diplomats have called the cases a tit-for-tat reprisal.
Earlier this year, more than 100 academics and former diplomats called on China to release Kovrig and Spavor in a letter addressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The letter said the arrests of the two Canadians sent a worrisome signal to those who work in policy and research in China.
WHO IS MENG WANZHOU?
Meng Wanzhou, 46, is widely assumed to be the heiress of her billionaire father Ren Zhengfei who founded Huawei in 1987
Meng Wanzhou, also known as Sabrina Meng and Cathy Meng, is the daughter and eldest child of Huawei’s founder Ren Zhengfei, 74, by his first wife Meng Jun.
Billed as a ‘Red Princess’, the 46-year-old is widely assumed to be the heiress of her former Communist soldier father, who founded the world’s current second largest smartphone seller at the age of 43 with just 21,000 yuan (£2,388).
Ms Meng, who is also the Vice-Chairman of Huawei, is ranked No. 12 by Frobes on the list of China’s most outstanding businesswomen in 2018.
She graduated from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in central China’s Wuhan city.
She worked in a bank for a year upon graduation before taking up a position at Huawei’s front desk in 1993 to answer phone calls.
Over the years, Ms Meng worked as the director of the international accounting department, CFO of Huawei’s Hong Kong branch office, president of the accounts management department and brought Huawei to its current success.
Ms Meng has a brother and a 20-year-old half-sister Annabel Yao who is a ballerina and debutante.
Annabel is said to be extremely international and have lived in Britain, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
She was one of the 19 young women to be presented at the 25th annual Bal des Débutantes held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris in 2018.
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