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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – Photo: REUTERS
According to the Canadian Prime Minister’s office, Mr. Trudeau thanked Mr. Trump for his support of the United States in “trying to help the two Canadians arrested by China to release immediately.”
Both leaders also discussed Trump’s health following his recent COVID-19 infection and ongoing efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Reuters, Canada’s announcement did not go into details of the phone call, while the White House side has not officially announced it.
China arrested two Canadian citizens, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor in late 2018 and later accused them of being spies.
This was seen as retaliation by Beijing after Ottawa arrested Ms. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer, at the request of the United States for extradition.
Since then, relations between Canada and China have become strained.
Tensions between the United States and China have also recently escalated following the outbreak of COVID-19, the trade war, Hong Kong’s national security law and the end of the Hong Kong special regime by Trump. there.
In a related development, Canada was first contacted by two citizens arrested by China since January 2020. Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 10 called this “arbitrary detention” of its citizens.
AFP said Canada’s ambassador to China Dominic Barton was “in online contact as consul” with Spavor on October 9 and with Kovrig on October 10.
Canada’s Foreign Ministry said the embassy last met with two of its citizens on January 13 and 14, 2020.
These meetings often aim to examine the situation of the detained person, find out the cause of the arrest, provide advice and medical assistance if necessary, as well as create a connecting link between the detained person. Capture and relatives.
Canada abandoned the FTA with China
