Trudeau is unhappy with the lack of transparency in Chinese courts.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says China’s approach is “totally unacceptable” after a Chinese court heard behind closed doors a spy case against Canadian businessman Michael Spavor on charges of “spying and illegally providing state secrets to foreign countries. (By Chen Junhao)
Spavor was indicted by China in June 2020 on charges of “espionage” and was heard behind closed doors by the Dandong Intermediate People’s Court in Liaoning Province on Friday (19).
The detention of Spavor and another Canadian citizen, former diplomat Michael Kovrig, is believed to be China’s “hostage diplomacy” in retaliation for Canada‘s arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the treasurer of China’s huawei Technologies, at the request of the United States in December 2018. It has been more than two years since Spavor was imprisoned. The Dandong Municipal People’s Court announced on its website that Spavor’s case will be “sentenced at a later date” according to the law. The case of Kang Mingkai is also scheduled to be heard next Monday (22nd).
In a press conference, Trudeau said, “Let me say very clearly that (China’s) arbitrary detention is totally unacceptable and the court process is opaque and unacceptable.”
Canada alleges that China has “fabricated” charges against Canadian citizens. Relations between Canada and China have been at a low point even as China has denied prosecuting Spavor and Kang Mingkai in connection with the Meng case, and China has “retaliated” against Meng with the Spavor and Kang case.
The media and a total of 10 diplomats from eight countries, including Canada, the United States, France and Australia (Australia), were barred from the courtroom during the Spavor trial.
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