China Accuses Two Canadians Of Spying
Yesterday, Chinese
prosecutors said they charged two Canadians detained for espionage, in an
incident that led to diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and Beijing.
Former diplomat Michael
Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor were arrested at the end of 2018 on
charges of national security, shortly after the Canadian authorities arrested
the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Group Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver
by American order.
China has repeatedly called
for Meng's release and warned Canada that it could face consequences for
helping the United States in Meng Wanzhou's lawsuit.
In December last year,
China's Foreign Ministry said it had ended an investigation into two Canadians,
and the case was turned over to prosecutors. Kovrig's case, is being
handled by prosecutors in Beijing and Spavor, in northeast China's Liaoning
province.
The allegations are the
next step in judicial proceedings against two Canadian citizens, meaning an
official trial can begin.
Canada has called these
arrests arbitrary. The Canadian Embassy in Beijing did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
Spavor was accused of
stealing state secrets and illegally providing state secrets to entities
outside of China, while Kovrig was charged with spying on state secrets and
intelligence for entities outside China, according to two notices posted by
Chinese prosecutors online.
Earlier this month, Chinese
ambassador to Canada Tung Boi Vu said the two men were in "good
health", but consular visits were suspended due to coronavirus prevention.
The Chinese Politburo
Commission last year said Mr. Kovrig was accused of stealing sensitive Chinese
information. They said Mr. Spavor provided Mr. Kovrig's intelligence
without detailed information.
Mr. Kovrig works for the
International Crisis Group (ICG), a non-governmental organization specializing
in conflict resolution. ICG did not comment yesterday.
The ICG has previously said
that the charges against Mr. Kovrig are vague and unfounded.
Mr. Spavor, 44, is an
entrepreneur with ties to North Korea.
While China says the
detention is not related to Meng Wanzhou, former diplomats and experts have
previously said they are being used to pressure Canada.
Last month, Meng, the daughter of the founder of telecommunications giant Huawei, failed in a legal effort to avoid extradition to the United States, hoping to end her house arrest in Vancouver.
If extradited to the US, Ms. Meng is in danger of facing fraud charges in banking procedures, concealing business with Iran, which is being punished by the US.
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