I attended a press conference with the Chinese Embassy today. I asked if Michael Kovrig or Michael Spavor's families will be able to visit as Meng Wanzhou's family came to Canada to see her. The Ambassador did not answer that question. What he said below:
"As I just mentioned, the two Canadian citizens detained and prosecuted in China because they have been involved in suspected crimes endangering national security..." Ambassador Cong Peiwu
"...The relevant Chinese judicial organs are handling that case according to law and their local rights are ensured and guaranteed, so that’s my answer. All their local rights are ensured and guaranteed."
I asked the Ambassador why he seemed to be delinking the cases between Kovring & Spavor and Meng... is the Chinese govt saying that if the extradition request for Meng was dropped it would not trigger the release of the two Michaels?
Ambassador's answer "As I stated many times and our side states many times, there is no connection between these cases. They are totally different in nature, and for the Meng Wanzhou incident, it is not simply a judicial case..."
"...It’s a very serious political incident, and the most urgent thing for the Canadian side to do is to take decisions as soon as possible and to release her, and that will help move our relationship back onto track, the normal track."
Still appears to be a very clear link, but the Chinese government trying to assert legitimacy of the arbitrary detention of Kovrig & Spavor while trying to characterize a warrant being executed in Cda as political. Says best thing Canada do is release Meng, but not connected....
The Chinese Ambassador also claimed the Chinese government has made life better for Uyghurs, denied allegations of human rights abuses despite evidence documented by journalists and human rights orgs. Calls reports of Uyghur genocide the "Lie of the century"
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