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TORONTO (AP) – Chinese, USA and Canada He completed a high-stakes prisoner swap with jolly homecomings for the two Canadians held by. Chinese and for a manager of Chinese global communications on dev Huawei Technologies He was accused of fraud and ended a 3-year feud that potentially involved three countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hugged diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor on the tarmac after they landed in Calgary, Alberta, early Saturday. Men detained Chinese In December 2018, shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, Huawei Technologies‘ the daughter of chief financial officer and founder of the company, at the request of the US extradition.
Many countries tagged Chinesethe act of “hostage politics” Chinese He accused Ottawa of arbitrary detention. Two Canadians were sentenced to more than 1,000 days in prison.
“It’s great to be back home Canada “I’m so grateful to everyone who worked so hard to get us both home,” said Kovrig, visibly thinner, after a Canadian government plane landed in Toronto and was greeted by his wife and sister.
“I feel great,” Kovrig said.
Mengreturn Chinese It was broadcast live on state television later on Saturday, highlighting Beijing’s degree of connectivity. him It’s a case of Chinese nationalism and its rise as a global economic and political power.
Wearing a red dress that matches your color Chineseflag, Meng thanked the ruling Communist Party and its leader Xi Jinping to support him He was held under house arrest for more than 1,000 days in Vancouver. he He owns a two million dollar mansion.
“Finally, I returned to the warm embrace of the homeland” Meng said. “As an ordinary Chinese citizen going through these difficult times, I have always felt the warmth and concern of the party, the nation and the people.”
The chain of events involving global powers abruptly put an end to the legal and geopolitical strife that has wreaked havoc between Washington, Beijing and Ottawa. Three-way negotiation enabled Chinese and Canada As the U.S. files a criminal case against him, each to bring their own imprisoned citizens home. Meng it had been stuck in an extradition struggle for months.
“These two men went through an incredibly tough test. Trudeau has shown strength, perseverance and grace over the last 1,000 days, and we’re all inspired by that,” said Trudeau.
The first activity came on Friday afternoon. Meng49-year-old reaches a settlement with federal prosecutors on fraud charges him will be dismissed next year and him return Chinese now. As part of what is known as a deferred prosecution agreement, he accepted responsibility for misrepresenting the company’s trade deals in Iran.
Agreement reached as President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping Even as the world’s two dominant economies faced off on issues as diverse as cybersecurity, climate change, human rights, trade and tariffs, they tried to suppress any signs of public tension. Biden told the UN General Assembly earlier this week that he has no intention of starting a “new Cold War”, while Xi told world leaders that disagreements between countries “must be resolved through dialogue and cooperation.”
“The US Government stands with the international community in welcoming the decision of the People’s Republic of China authorities to release Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig after more than two and a half years of arbitrary detention. We are happy that they are back home. CanadaUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
As part of the deal MengThe Justice Department agreed to dismiss the fraud charges against him. him In December 2022 – exactly four years later him arrest – with this condition he complies with certain conditions, including not contesting any of the government’s actual claims. The Ministry of Justice also agreed to withdraw his request. Meng to be returned to the United States, he fiercely challenged.
after appearing via video conference for him New York trial, Meng He appeared before a brief court appearance in Vancouver. heThe two Canadians were released on bail in a multimillion-dollar mansion while being held in Chinese prison cells where the lights are kept on 24 hours a day.
outside the courtroom, Meng He thanked the Canadian government for upholding the rule of law, expressed his gratitude to the Canadian people, and apologized “for the inconvenience I have caused.”
“My life has been turned upside down in the last three years” he said. “It was a devastating time for me as a mother, a wife, and a corporate executive. But I believe every cloud has a silver lining. It was truly an invaluable experience in my life. I will never forget all the good wishes I have received.”
After a short time, Meng departed for Shenzhen on an Air China flight, Chinese, location Huawei‘s headquarters.
Huawei It is the largest global supplier of networking equipment for telephony and internet companies. became the symbol Chineseprogress towards becoming a technological world power – and a subject of US security and law enforcement concerns. Some analysts say Chinese companies are breaking international rules and norms and stealing technology.
counterclaim Meng It stems from a January 2019 indictment by the Trump administration Justice Department accusing him. Huawei from using a Hong Kong front company called Skycom to steal trade secrets and sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. The indictment was also charged Meng He is accused of swindling HSBC bank by misleading him about the company’s business deals in Iran.
The indictment came amid a broader crackdown on the Trump administration. Huawei Over the US government’s concerns that the company’s products could facilitate Chinese espionage. Management cut off HuaweiIt banned Google’s access to US components and technology, including music and other smartphone services, and subsequently banned vendors worldwide from manufacturing components using US technology. Huawei.
Biden White House meanwhile maintained a hard line Huawei and other Chinese companies whose technology is considered to pose national security risks. Huawei He has repeatedly denied the US government’s claims and safety concerns about his products.
Former Ambassador of Canada ChineseKovrig’s former boss, Guy Saint-Jacques, said he was happy to have the two Canadians back home.
“Obviously the Chinese were very eager to get it. Meng They said they had set aside all allegations that the two Michaels had been arrested for good reasons. “They must admit that their reputation has been severely damaged,” Saint-Jacques said. “There are grumblings in the Chinese Communist Party, ‘Which direction are we going, Xi Jinping? We create too many enemies. Why are we enemies with countries like Canada and Australia?”
Saint-Jacques said he was thinking Chinese He’ll think twice before reusing “hostage diplomacy.”
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