Extradition hearing starts for top Huawei exec

The first stage of an extradition hearing for a senior executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei started in a Vancouver courtroom Monday, a case that has infuriated Beijing, caused a diplomatic uproar between China and Canada and complicated high-stakes trade talks between China and the United States.

Canada's arrest of Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder, in late 2018 at America's request enraged Beijing to the point it detained two Canadians in apparent retaliation.

Huawei represents China's progress in becoming a technological power and has been a subject of US security concerns for years.

Beijing views Meng's case as an attempt to contain China's rise.

Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions.

It says Meng, 47, committed fraud by misleading the HSBC bank about the company's business dealings in Iran.

Meng, who is free on bail and living in one of the two Vancouver mansions she owns, sat next to her lawyers wearing a black dress with white polka dots.

She earlier waved at reporters as she arrived at court.

The initial stage of Meng's extradition hearing this week is focusing on whether Meng's alleged crimes are crimes both in the United States and Canada.

Her lawyers filed a motion Friday arguing that Meng's case is really about US sanctions against Iran, not a fraud case.

Canada does not have similar sanctions on Iran.

Arguments will continue Tuesday and throughout the week.

The second phase, scheduled for June, will consider defense allegations that Canada Border Services, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the FBI violated Meng's rights while collecting evidence before she was actually arrested.

The extradition case could take years to resolve if there are appeals.