China’s Canadian detainees Spavor and Kovrig ‘in good shape’ two years on

Name: China accuses detained Canadians of spying, following Huawei CFO extradition approval
Uploaded: 2020-12-09T03:45:56.000Z
Duration: 1 min 59 s
Description: China accuses detained Canadians of spying, following Huawei CFO extradition approval

Canada’s ambassador to Beijing says both men are physically and mentally healthy as he praises their resilience

Arrests in early December 2018 are regarded as retribution for execution of US warrant against Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou

Reading Time:1 minute

Why you can trust SCMP

Canadians Michael Spavor, left, and Michael Kovrig have been detained in China since early December 2018. Photo: Facebook

Reuters

Published: 11:45am, 9 Dec 2020Updated: 10:56pm, 9 Dec 2020

Canada’s ambassador to Beijing has praised the resilience of two Canadians facing spying charges in China, in what Ottawa regards as retribution for the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

Businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig have been detained in China for more than two years. They were arrested in early December 2018, soon after Canadian police picked up Meng, chief financial officer for Huawei Technologies Co, on a US warrant.

“They are both very healthy, physically and mentally,” ambassador Dominic Barton told a special parliamentary committee on Canada’s ties with China. “I am deeply inspired by their resilience and their mindset – it’s incredible given what they’re going through … they are very, very strong and it’s remarkable.”

01:59

China accuses detained Canadians of spying, following Huawei CFO extradition approval

The affair has badly damaged bilateral relations. Canada, which says the return of the two men is a priority, condemns what it calls “hostage diplomacy” and dismisses Beijing’s insistence that the detentions are not linked to Meng’s arrest.

Canada is trying to balance demands for the return of the two men and the insistence China improve its human rights record with what it says is the need to talk to Beijing about economic ties and climate change.

“There are times when we need to challenge China and work with partners to hold them to account,” Barton said. “We are concerned by the decline in civil and political rights in China.”

Chinese authorities, citing the risk of the coronavirus, blocked access by Canadian diplomats for many months. Barton said he was allowed virtual visits in October after months of pressure and also spoke to the two individually last month.

It was reported last week that US prosecutors were discussing a deal with Meng’s lawyers to resolve criminal charges against her.