Canada’s new ambassador to China gets to meet detained pair, but warned he faces uphill struggle to repair relations
- Dominic Barton visits Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor who were held on spying charges after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in December
- Beijing diplomatic adviser warns there appears little prospect of a thaw in relations especially if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau toughens his stance on Hong Kong
Canada’s new ambassador to Beijing Dominic Barton will face an uphill struggle to improve relations between the two sides, a senior Chinese diplomatic adviser has warned, after a year in which the arrest of a senior Huawei executive and the subsequent detention of two Canadians caused a significant deterioration in relations.
The adviser also said that already chilly relationship between the two counties may worsen further if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to calls to take a tougher stance on Hong Kong – a move that would further anger Beijing.
Barton, who was appointed to the post last month, was able to meet the two detained Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, on Friday and Sunday respectively, according to the national broadcaster CBC.
A statement issued by Global Affairs Canada on Sunday said the government “remains deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of these two Canadians since December 2018 and continues to call for their immediate release”.
The two were detained 10 days after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer on December 1 on an extradition request from the US, which has accused her of fraud relating to alleged breaches of American sanctions on Iran.