Canadian faces spy ruling in China as Huawei decision looms

A Canadian entrepreneur who was charged with spying after his government arrested an executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei faces a possible verdict Wednesday as Beijing steps up pressure on Canada ahead of a court ruling on whether to hand over the executive to face US criminal charges.

Michael Spavor and another Canadian were detained in China in what critics labeled “hostage politics” after the executive’s 2018 arrest in connection with possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. On Tuesday, a court rejected the appeal of a third Canadian whose prison term in a drug case was abruptly increased to death following the executive's arrest.

Canada and other governments including Australia and the Philippines face growing Chinese pressure including trade boycotts in disputes over human rights, the coronavirus and territorial claims. Canadian Ambassador Dominic Barton said he would go to see Spavor in Dandong, about 210 miles (340 kilometers) east of Beijing on the North Korean border.

Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Ltd., was arrested Dec. 1, 2018, in Vancouver on US charges of lying to the Hong Kong arm of the British bank HSBC about possible dealings with Iran in violation of trade sanctions. A judge in Vancouver is due to hear final arguments in the next few weeks about whether Meng should be extradited to the United States. Her lawyers argue the case is politically motivated and what she is accused of isn't a crime in Canada.

China's government has criticized the arrest as part of US efforts to hamper its technology development. Huawei, a maker of network equipment and smartphones, is China's first global tech brand and is at the center of US-Chinese tension over technology and security.