'Keep it to yourself': China slams Biden-US for backing Canada on 'arbitary detention'

Canada, the United States and a coalition of 57 other countries on Monday endorsed a declaration denouncing state-sponsored arbitrary detention of foreign nationals for political purposes. The new declaration was the result of a campaign to free Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from a Chinese prison. The two were arrested in apparent retaliation for the arrest days earlier of a top Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou, a Huawei official and the daughter of the company’s founder.

Reacting to it, new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the country “wholeheartedly” endorsed the declaration and called “on all like-minded countries to work together to pressure the nations that engage in such detentions to put an end to this practice, to release those detained under such conditions and to respect the rule of law and human rights.”

'Meng Wanzhou did not violate any Canadian law'

Now, hitting back at the United States for supporting Canada, Spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lijian Zhao on Thursday told Antony Blinken, "You'd better keep the hat of "Arbitrary Detention" for yourself. Meng Wanzhou did not violate any Canadian law but was arbitrarily detained for more than two years."

The Chinese embassy in Canada released a statement on Tuesday criticising Ottawa for leading the initiative as part of its "megaphone diplomacy". "On the one hand, the Canadian side claims it upholds the rule of law and opposes arbitrary detention. On the other hand, it acts as an accomplice of the US, and helps the US to use Meng Wanzhou as a bargaining chip to oppress Chinese enterprises," it said. "This kind of act is no different from a thief shouting to catch a thief. How hypocritical and despicable," it said.

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China has accused Kovrig and Spavor of spying and dismissed accusations the pair were detained in retaliation for Meng's arrest. In its statement, the embassy said the Chinese authorities were handling both cases "independently according to law and their lawful rights have been guaranteed".

"The Canadian side's attempt to pressure China by using "megaphone diplomacy" or ganging up is totally futile and will only head towards a dead end," it said. Meng Wanzhou and her company face dozens of criminal charges in the US, but she remains out on bail and living in a Vancouver mansion while her attempt to avoid extradition works through the courts.

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(With inputs from Associated Press)