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(ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATION) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Thursday (June 20) he had brought up the case of two Canadians detained in China with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trudeau wants Washington to do more to solve a crisis that erupted after Canadian police arrested an executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei on a U.S. warrant in Vancouver last December.
China angrily demanded Canada release Meng and detained the two Canadians on spying charges.
But Trudeau sidestepped a question about whether he had pressed Trump to bring the case up with Chinese President Xi Jinping when the two leaders meet next week.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU, SAYING: "We had an extended conversation on the situation that Canada is currently facing in regards to China and the unacceptable situation that two Canadian citizens are facing in the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians.
We discussed some of the challenges that China is presenting, not just to Canada but to different sectors of the global economy, and we certainly agree that we will continue to work together as friends and allies to resolve these and other issues." Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has dismissed suggestions that Ottawa block the extradition of the arrested excutive - Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou.
Meng is expected to challenge Washington's extradition request at hearings that are set to begin next January.
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