Huawei Arrest: Canada Faces ‘Serious Consequences’ Says China

The Chinese vice foreign minister, Le Yucheng, issued a fresh warning to Canadian authorities demanding the release of Huawei’s CFO, saying there would be “serious consequences” for failing to do so.

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“China strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately release the detained person...otherwise Canada must accept full responsibility for the serious consequences caused,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry has summoned John McCallum, the Canadian ambassador, to lodge a “strong protest” and voice its concern and reproach to the western nation for what it called “an act committed by Canada.”   

Ms. Meng Wanzhou is currently under arrest by Canadian authorities at the request of the United States, which alleges she covered up aspects of her family company ties to a firm which soled equipment to Iran, violating sanctions.

On Friday, the CFO attended a Canadian court which adjourned the decision of whether or not to allow bail until Monday.

The Court of British Columbia said Ms Meng used a company subsidiary called skycom to bypass sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States, between 2009 and 2014. The charges are “conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions,” according to a Canadian prosecutor.

If Meng is extradited to the United States, she could be tried and face up to 30 in jail, if found guilty.

The arrest was a serious breach of Ms. Meng's rights, according to the Chinese vice foreign minister Mr. Le Yucheng, the act “ignored the law, was unreasonable” and it amounted to an “extremely nasty” type of foreign policy.

The arrest of the Chinese business leader comes a time when China and the United States have declared a 'cease-fire' on the tariff war which has put a lot of strain on the relations between the two countries.