Canada sends delegation to China to press for release of citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor
- Beijing is ‘making stronger moves to get its own way’, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says as he vows to keep up pressure on China
- Visit is being conducted by Canada-China Legislative Association, a group created for Canadian and Chinese lawmakers to exchange views
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed on Tuesday to keep the pressure on Beijing as a Canadian parliamentary delegation in China sought the release of two Canadians held as spies.
“China is making stronger moves than it has before to try to get its own way on the world stage and Western countries and democracies around the world are pointing out [that] this is not something we need to continue to allow,” Trudeau told reporters.
Former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor were detained after the arrest December 1 of a top Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou, in Vancouver on a US warrant.
China has said it suspects Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group think tank, of espionage and alleged that Spavor had provided him with intelligence.
Trudeau told reporters Spavor “had been detained for political reasons”.