China on Thursday dismissed Canada’s protests of harsh sentences handed down by Chinese courts to Canadians whose cases are seen as linked to the arrest in Vancouver of a top executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei.
The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Canada accused Ottawa of making unwarranted, groundless accusations that “grossly interfered in China’s judicial sovereignty.”
“Such accusations are extremely unreasonable, extremely absurd and extremely arrogant, over which we express our strongest condemnation,” their statements said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday called the sentencing of entrepreneur Michael Spavor “absolutely unacceptable and unjust.”
Mr. Trudeau cited a “lack of transparency in the legal process, and a trial that did not satisfy even the minimum standards required by international law.”
“For Mr. Spavor, as well as for Michael Kovrig who has also been arbitrarily detained, our top priority remains securing their immediate release. We will continue working around the clock to bring them home as soon as possible.”
Mr. Spavor and former diplomat Mr. Kovrig were detained soon after Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou was arrested December 1, 2018, at the request of the U.S., where she faces charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry denied Mr. Spavor and Mr. Kovrig were arbitrarily detained.
Mr. Spavor was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison on national security charges by a court.
