China-Canada tensions deepen over citizen arrests

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Saturday that the detention of two Canadian citizens in China is "worrying not only for Canada but for the world," the New York Times reports.

The big picture: U.S. experts view the arrests of writer Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig as "direct retaliation" by China for Canada's detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who stands accused of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran. Canada maintains that Meng was given "absolute access to due process" and will be able to appeal an extradition request from the U.S. The Times reports that Kovrig, meanwhile, has been subjected to hours of interrogation and possible mistreatment by Chinese authorities.

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