US to formally seek extradition of Huawei's Meng Wanzhou - reports

Chinese foreign ministry said the case of arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was an abuse of extradition convention, and called on the US to withdraw the request.

Meng Wanzhou, Executive Board Director of the Chinese technology giant Huawei, attends a session of the VTB Capital Investment Forum "Russia Calling!" in Moscow, Russia October 2, 2014
Reuters

Meng Wanzhou, Executive Board Director of the Chinese technology giant Huawei, attends a session of the VTB Capital Investment Forum "Russia Calling!" in Moscow, Russia October 2, 2014

China said on Tuesday that the US and Canada had abused their extradition agreement in the case of arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, after Canada's ambassador to the US said it would proceed with formal extradition.

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the comments at a regular briefing and also reiterated China's call for Meng to be released.

"Any person with fair judgment would come to the conclusion that Canada was mistaken in its actions," Hua added.

Canada's ambassador to the US told the Globe and Mail newspaper in an interview published on Monday that the US will proceed with the formal extradition.

David MacNaughton did not say when the formal extradition request will be made but the deadline for filing it is January 30, according to the Globe and Mail.

Huawei said it has no comment on the ongoing legal proceedings, while the US Justice Department officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Meng, who is currently out on bail, was arrested in Canada on December 1 with the US alleging that she covered up her company's links to a firm that tried to sell equipment to Iran despite sanctions.

The executive is the daughter of the founder of Huawei.

Since then, three Canadian citizen have been detained in China, as a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Ottawa continues over Meng's arrest.

Beijing has threatened Canada with "grave consequences" if Meng is not freed and Chinese state-run media have criticised the arrest, saying it was politically motivated.

Ottawa has repeatedly said the arrest was not political but rather a judicial process in keeping with an extradition treaty Ottawa has with Washington.

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