Chinese Diplomat Blasts Canada in Phone Call With Huawei’s Meng
Chinese Diplomat Blasts Canada in Phone Call With Huawei’s Meng
(Bloomberg) -- China’s top diplomat to Canada lashed out at the country in a phone call with Meng Wanzhou, a sign that tensions are escalating before the final decision on whether the Huawei Technologies Co. executive will be extradited to the U.S.
“We severely condemn Canada’s wrongdoing,” Ambassador Cong Peiwu said in the call, according to a statement on the Chinese embassy’s website Wednesday. “Any attempt to bully or oppress the Chinese people will inevitably be hit hard,” he said, adding that Canada should “face its serious mistakes.”
Meng’s hearing on whether Canada should send her to the U.S. to face criminal fraud charges ended last week in Vancouver, and a decision is due in the coming months. China has been accused of “hostage diplomacy” for detaining tour organizer Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, following the extradition request. Beijing denies the charge.
Spavor has filed an appeal against his spying conviction and 11-year prison sentence, according to a person familiar with the matter. After the verdict was announced by a court in northeastern China, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned it as “absolutely unacceptable and unjust.”
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