Mike Pompeo says US stands with Canada against China's arbitrary detention of its citizens

The United States has expressed concern over China's decision to proceed with formal charges against two Canadian citizens that it had detained for spying last year. The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement on June 22 said that Washington stands with Canada against China in demanding the immediate release of the two men detained over the charges of spying. Pompeo has said that the charges against the two Canadian citizens are politically motivated and completely groundless and echoed Ottawa's call for consular access. 

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"The United States stands with Canada in calling on Beijing for the immediate release of the two men and rejects the use of these unjustified detentions to coerce Canada. Additionally, we echo Canada’s call for immediate consular access to its two citizens, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, as China has prohibited such access for almost six months, and the world has no knowledge of the two Canadians’ condition," Pompeo said in the statement. 

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Canadians detained

Two Canadian citizens, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and consultant Michael Spavor were arrested in China in 2019, weeks after Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei was arrested at Vancouver International Airport on a warrant from the United States. Late in May 2020, a Canadian court ruled that extradition case against her could proceed following which China's representative in the country called it a 'politically decision'. Experts suggest that China's decision to proceed with formal charges against the two Canadian men is because it wants to pressure Ottawa in relation to Meng's case. 

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