U.S. says China should free Canadians held after Huawei arrest

By Lesley Wroughton and David Ljunggren

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference after the U.S.-Canada ministerial meeting at the State Department in Washington, U.S., December 14, 2018. REUTERS/Jim Young

 

WASHINGTON/OTTAWA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said China should free two Canadian citizens who were detained this week after authorities in Canada arrested a senior Chinese technology executive on a U.S. extradition warrant.

 

Pompeo's comments were the first by a senior U.S. official on the arrests, which Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said could escalate a growing trade conflict between China and the United States.

 

"The unlawful detention of two Canadian citizens is unacceptable," Pompeo told reporters after Washington talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. "They ought to be returned. ... We ask all nations of the world to treat other citizens properly."

 

Canadian officials were granted consular access on Friday to one of the two detainees in China and are still trying to contact the second, the Foreign Ministry said.

 

China detained the two - businessman Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, an adviser with the International Crisis Group and a former diplomat - after Canadian police arrested Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's [HWT.UL] chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Dec 1.

 

U.S. prosecutors accuse Meng of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei's founder, has said she is innocent.

 

Potentially complicating the case, President Donald Trump made comments this week that legal experts say may have undermined the U.S. basis for extradition.

 

Freeland, asked about the remarks, said, "We all agree that the most important thing we can do is to uphold the rule of law, ensure that Ms. Meng's right to due process is respected and that the current judicial process in Canada remains apolitical."

 

Trudeau, in his strongest comments on the matter to date, said China's detention of the two men was "not acceptable."

China rejects Trudeau's insistence that the government cannot interfere with the judiciary. Meng was released on bail this week but has to remain in Canada.

 

"This is one of the situations you get in when the two largest economies in the world, China and the United States, start picking a fight with each other," Trudeau told City TV in Toronto.

 

"The escalating trade war between them is going to have all sorts of unintended consequences on Canada, potentially on the entire global economy. We're very worried about that," he said.

 

Lu Shaye, China's ambassador to Canada, on Friday told a university conference that the prospects for deeper business ties were good despite the dispute. He declined to comment when pressed by reporters about Trudeau's remarks.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-15

Just let her go

China needs to be contained now! The writing is on the wall..there will be conflict sooner or later.  And giving into their demands is not the way to do it.  

3 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

China needs to be contained now! The writing is on the wall..there will be conflict sooner or later.  And giving into their demands is not the way to do it.  

It's the US making demands. Trump started the trade war, the US asked Canada to detain Meng Wanzhou, if you start a war, expect kickbacks. Sheer arrogance from Pompeo (probably got that from his boss).

I remember a time when all the U.S. had to do was whisper and tremors rippled across the planet. This current administration has become a sad laughing stock and I believe to the bone the respect once paid America is a thing of the past, never to return.

7 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Sheer arrogance from Pompeo (probably got that from his boss).

I saw an interviewer asking Pompeo three times "Will Mexico pay for the wall?" THREE TIMES Pompeo replied "The wall will be built" with an arrogant, snide leer. For SURE he got that from his master.

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"The unlawful detention of two Canadian citizens is unacceptable,"

Both men faced charges of undermining China’s national security.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/world/asia/michael-spavor-canadian-detained-china.html

That seems to be a lawful foundation for arrest, no matter how trumped up the charges may be.

Why don't the Americans just shut their mouths, Canadians certainly don't need these fools turning up the heat even more. And the next time you idiots have an election, why don't you vote in people who are half ass competent.

quote ""The unlawful detention of two Canadian citizens is unacceptable," Pompeo told reporters after Washington talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. "They ought to be returned. ... We ask all nations of the world to treat other citizens properly."

 

Yet Canada arrested Meng on the assurance that she was wanted in the US.

 

The USA deems her arrest was acceptable but the two Canadians arrest was not.

 

Double standards perhaps?

28 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

Why don't the Americans just shut their mouths, Canadians certainly don't need these fools turning up the heat even more. And the next time you idiots have an election, why don't you vote in people who are half ass competent.

You're referring to the American GOVERNMENT, yes?

Edited December 15, 20187 yr by quandow

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

It's the US making demands. Trump started the trade war, the US asked Canada to detain Meng Wanzhou, if you start a war, expect kickbacks. Sheer arrogance from Pompeo (probably got that from his boss).

As much as I loathe Trump, it's really not honest to say that the US started the trade war. China has been unfairly protecting its private sector pretty much since forever. Trump didn't choose an intelligent way to counterattack, but China began the war. 

What I want to know is, does the US have the lawful right to detain, and arrest individuals that defy it's self imposed trade sanctions? I understand the US being able to deny their markets to countries that defy the ban. But, do they have the right to arrest officials of a company that does so? Seem like hubris, over reach, arrogance, and more example of Trump's utter inability to negotiate his way out of a paper bag.

 

Canada deserves the treatment they are getting from China, in a sense. By following the beck and call of ignorant men south of the border, they are putting themselves in harms way. Since Trump does not know how to negotiate, belligerence, and a trade war is the result. Granted, China has been a dishonest partner, when it comes to trade. But, a trade war, in this day and age, is just dumb and dumber. Trump is paying the price, and so are the American people, with this huge tax hike, called tariffs. 

50 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

What I want to know is, does the US have the lawful right to detain, and arrest individuals that defy it's self imposed trade sanctions? I understand the US being able to deny their markets to countries that defy the ban. But, do they have the right to arrest officials of a company that does so? Seem like hubris, over reach, arrogance, and more example of Trump's utter inability to negotiate his way out of a paper bag.

 

Canada deserves the treatment they are getting from China, in a sense. By following the beck and call of ignorant men south of the border, they are putting themselves in harms way. Since Trump does not know how to negotiate, belligerence, and a trade war is the result. Granted, China has been a dishonest partner, when it comes to trade. But, a trade war, in this day and age, is just dumb and dumber. Trump is paying the price, and so are the American people, with this huge tax hike, called tariffs. 

It was illegal to sell to Iran equipment using US manufactured parts. Huawek knew this. If the charges are true, Huawei knowingly violated the law. Personally, I'm against the law. But it is not relevant to whether or not Huawei broke the law. 

3 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

Why don't the Americans just shut their mouths,

555 You've got more chance of winning the lottery, they're known as "the Canadian's noisy neighbours" for a reason. ????

" And the next time you idiots have an election, why don't you vote in people who are half ass competent."

 

Don't think Americans should shoulder the blame for electing Trump, it was the Russians what did it. ????

Besides, Trump is half ass competent, so there.

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"They ought to be returned. ... We ask all nations of the world to treat other citizens properly."

 

Yes, how appropriate. All nations, except the United States.

9 hours ago, Spidey said:

9 hours ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

China needs to be contained now! The writing is on the wall..there will be conflict sooner or later.  And giving into their demands is not the way to do it.  

It's the US making demands. Trump started the trade war, the US asked Canada to detain Meng Wanzhou, if you start a war, expect kickbacks. Sheer arrogance from Pompeo (probably got that from his boss).

nomen est omen! Pompeo = pompous àrse.

A profane post has been removed. 

2 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

" And the next time you idiots have an election, why don't you vote in people who are half ass competent."

 

Don't think Americans should shoulder the blame for electing Trump, it was the Russians what did it. ????

Besides, Trump is half ass competent, so there.

Yes Trump is always mooning. And the half that is competent is dark, mysterious, and well hidden.

11 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Yes Trump is always mooning. And the half that is competent is dark, mysterious, and well hidden.

It's the half that's digging his companies out of a hole during his time in office. He's making a mint out of the presidency.

8 hours ago, bristolboy said:

It was illegal to sell to Iran equipment using US manufactured parts. Huawek knew this. If the charges are true, Huawei knowingly violated the law. Personally, I'm against the law. But it is not relevant to whether or not Huawei broke the law. 

But whose law did Huawei supposedly break?