Canada concerned about the whereabouts of a second citizen in China
The Government of Canada expressed concern today about the fate of a Canadian citizen in China who has disappeared after the authorities of the Asian country interrogated him.
"We were in contact with a person who was being questioned by the Chinese authorities and since then we have not been able to know where that person is," Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said during a press conference.
"We are trying to find out where that person is," added Freeland, who did not provide information about his identity.
The minister expressed concern a few hours after Chinese authorities detained Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat currently working for the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank.
Kovrig was arrested after the Chinese authorities warned Canada of serious consequences for the detention on December 1 in the Canadian city of Vancouver, at the request of the United States, of the Chinese citizen Meng Wanzhou, financial director of the Huawei firm.
Freeland said that "Canada is deeply concerned about the detention" of Kovrig.
The United States requested the arrest of Meng, 46, the daughter of Huawei's founder, to request her extradition after being accused of fraud to violate the sanctions imposed by Washington against Iran.
Freeland reiterated today that Canada was forced to arrest Meng to comply with its international obligations and that in the arrest of the Huawei executive, which was released yesterday on bail, there was no political interference.
