Businessman Spavor, who worked with North Korea, and former diplomat Kovrig were picked up in December, shortly after Canada arrested Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition to the United States. China has repeatedly demanded Meng be released, and reacted
By Ben Blanchard
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Monday accused detained Canadian citizen Michael Kovrig of stealing state secrets which were passed on to him from another detained Canadian, Michael Spavor, in what is likely to increase tension between Ottawa and Beijing.
Businessman Spavor, who worked with North Korea, and former diplomat Kovrig were picked up in December, shortly after Canada arrested Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition to the United States.
China has repeatedly demanded Meng be released, and reacted angrily last week when Ottawa approved extradition proceedings against her.
The Communist Party’s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission said Kovrig had often entered China using an ordinary passport and business visas, « stealing and spying on sensitive Chinese information and intelligence via a contact in China ».
