If anything comes out of this prisoner swap, I hope it is the world takes notice that the Chinese government is willing to take foreign nationals hostage to free their criminals:
In this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou waves as she steps out of an airplane after arriving at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in Shenzhen in southern China’s Guangdong Province, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. A top executive from global communications giant Huawei Technologies returned to China on Saturday following what amounted to a high-stakes prisoner swap with Canada and the U.S. (Jin Liwang/Xinhua via AP)
China, the U.S. and Canada completed a high-stakes prisoner swap with joyous homecomings for two Canadians held by China and for an executive of Chinese global communications giant Huawei Technologies charged with fraud, potentially bringing closure to a 3-year feud that embroiled the three countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hugged diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor on the tarmac after they landed in Calgary, Alberta early Saturday. The men were detained in China in Dec. 2018, shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer and the daughter of the company’s founder, on a U.S. extradition request.
Many countries labeled China’s action “hostage politics,” while China accused Ottawa of arbitrary detention. The two Canadians were jailed for more than 1,000 days.
You can read more at the link, but ROK Heads may remember that one of the exchanged hostages Michael Spavor was a Kim regime favorite for his North Korean travel operation. I would be surprised if he will try do any North Korean travel trips ever again after this.
Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye has accused Canada of applying a double standard, and has decried what he sees as “Western egotism and white supremacy” in the treatment of detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. China’s envoy to Canada penned a Jan. 9 column in The Hill Times, a twice-weekly Ottawa publication that focuses on parliamentary affairs, in which he harshly criticizes Canada for demanding the release of two jailed Canadians while detaining Ms. Meng. “It’s understandable that these Canadians are concerned about their own citizens. But have they shown any concern or sympathy for [Ms.] Meng after she was illegally detained and deprived of freedom?” Mr. Lu wrote. China has imprisoned former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor in what appears to be retaliation for Canada’s arrest of Ms. Meng for extradition to the United States to face allegations of bank fraud related to U.S. sanctions on Iran.
It looks like the gloves are finally beginning to come off in regards to dealing with China’s espionage:
Influential state media linked to China’s ruling Communist Party on Friday described Washington as a “despicable rogue” attempting to “stifle” China’s global rise by arranging for the arrest of a top executive at one of its major technology firms.Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies – China’s largest telecommunications equipment maker – was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1 as she changed planes. Canada’s Justice Department said Meng, 46, who is the daughter of the company’s founder, was detained due to an extradition request by the United States.
It provided no reason for why Meng was taken into custody but Canadian media reported she was arrested on suspicion of evading U.S. sanctions by selling American-made components to Iran. Several U.S. senators also made that connection. “There is ample evidence to suggest that no major Chinese company is independent of the Chinese government and Communist Party – and Huawei, which China’s government and military tout as a ‘national champion,’ is no exception,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in a statement. Warner said Huawei “poses a threat to our national security.” [USA Today]
You can read more at the link, but the evading of sanctions may be the legal reason for her detainment, but I think the real reason so many countries in the west are mobilizing against China on this issue is because of the spy chips Huawei and other Chinese companies were allowing to be installed in their products. Considering how may electronics parts come out of China major corporations and national leaders around the world have to wonder how much has China spied on them because of these chips?
With all that is going on I would recommend that no one travel to China because you know they are going to retaliate in some way and the most obvious way would be to arrest some Americans, especially a notable business leader for made up charges.
