China: Canadian man appears in Court on Spying charges

On Friday, a Canadian entrepreneur appeared in court in China to face spying charges, an apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive.

Authorities arrested Michael Spavor in December 2018 soon after Canadian police detained Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, at the request of the US.

Canada said its consular officials had been notified his court hearing would be held Friday in the northern city of Dandong.

Sidewalks were roped off with police tape and journalists were kept at a distance as police cars and vans with lights flashing entered the the court complex, news agency AP reported.

Diplomats kept out of trial hearings

A separate trial for ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig, also arrested in 2018, would follow on Monday in Beijing.

But Canadian diplomats say they have been denied the right to attend both trials, in breach of international law and treaties between the two countries.

The court said Chinese law regarding trials on state security charges overrode such obligations, according to Jim Nickel, Charge d'affaires of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing.

What are both men accused of?

Spavor, an entrepreneur with North Korea-related business, was charged with spying for a foreign entity and illegally providing state secrets. 

Kovrig, an analyst and former diplomat, was charged with spying for state secrets and intelligence in collaboration with Spavor.

Prosecutors have not released more details of the charges and trial proceedings in national security cases are generally held behind closed doors. 

The state-owned Global Times newspaper said Kovrig was accused of having used an ordinary passport and business visa to enter China to steal sensitive information and intelligence through contacts in China since 2017.

Spavor is accused of being a key source of intelligence for Kovrig, according the pro-government newspaper.

Extradition hearing in Vancouver for Meng

Ex-Huawei executive Meng faced another extradition hearing on Thursday in Vancouver.

Her legal team argued that Canadian officials abused their power when they conspired with the US to arrest her. 

Defense lawyer Tony Paisana said Canadian Border Services Agency officers took Meng's phones, obtained their passwords, then handed to them to Canadian police so the data could be shared with the FBI.

China has demanded Meng's immediate and unconditional release, saying the US engineered her detention as part of a drive to contain China's growing rise.

Canadian authorities say Kovrig and Spavor were arbitrarily arrested to put pressure on Ottawa and say they should be released without charge.

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