Canadian officials make contact with one of two Canadians detained in China

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – Canadian officials have made contact with one of two Canadians being detained by Chinese officials, accused of endangering national security.

Now Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he expects Canadian diplomats will be granted access soon to the second person detained.

The detentions came after U.S. officials asked Canadian law enforcement to arrest an executive with Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

But after days of engaging with Chinese officials, Canada was finally granted access to diplomat on-leave Michael Kovrig.

Trudeau says Canada is pushing for the face-to-face meeting with Spavor after Ambassador John McCallum’s first got to see fellow Canadian detainee Michael Kovrig earlier Friday.

RELATED: Two Canadians detained on suspicion of ‘endangering national security’: China

Global Affairs says in a statement our ambassador to China met with Kovrig in Beijing and he and his family are receiving consular assistance.

“Canada was granted consular access to Michael Kovrig. Ambassador McCallum met with him in Beijing,” reads a statement from Global Affairs. “Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed.”

Official have still not been in contact with entrepeneur Michael Spavor, who is the second Canadian detained.

WATCH: Chinese state media threatens Canada over Huawei arrest

 

The news comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a stronger stance on the China dispute in an interview with Breakfast Television.

“Absolutely clear on just standing up for our citizens who have been detained, trying to figure out why, trying to work with China, trying to demonstrate that this is not acceptable,” Trudeau said.

RELATED: Scheer blames Trudeau’s ‘naive approach’ to China for Huawei crisis

The detentions and the Huawei arrest are expected to be discussed as our foreign affairs and defence ministers meet their U.S. counterparts in Washington.

 

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