China releases Canadian from custody amid Ottawa-Beijing row

A Canadian teacher has returned home after being detained in China, while two other Canadians – a former diplomat and a businessman – still remain in Chinese custody following the arrest of a Huawei executive by Ottawa.

Sarah McIver, an English teacher from Alberta, was arrested by the Chinese authorities over alleged work-permit violations. She is the third Canadian to be apprehended by Beijing this month. Former diplomat Michael Kovrig and prominent businessman Michael Spavor were also arrested in mid-December on suspicion of harming China’s national security. Unlike Kovrig and Spavor, who are being accused of harming China’s national security, McIver’s detention was treated as a routine matter.

While McIver will be able to celebrate New Year’s back home in Alberta, Kovrig and Spavor remain in Chinese detention. Their ongoing captivity has been linked to the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on December 1 in Canada. The US wants her extradited to face fraud charges over an alleged breach of US-imposed bans on Iran.

While the Chinese government demands Wanzhou's immediate release, US President Donald Trump has hinted that the executive could be used as a bargaining chip in US-Sino trade negotiations. Earlier this month, Wanzhou was granted release on a $10-million bail but was placed under electronic surveillance and restricted from leaving the country.

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