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posted by martyb on Thursday December 06 2018, @10:18AM   Printer-friendly

Canada Arrests Huawei's Global Chief Financial Officer in Vancouver, Canada

Canada has arrested the chief financial officer of China’s Huawei Technologies who is facing extradition to the United States on suspicion she violated U.S. trade sanctions against Iran.

Wanzhou Meng, who is also the deputy chair of Huawei’s board and the daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver at the request of U.S. authorities.

“Wanzhou Meng was arrested in Vancouver on December 1. She is sought for extradition by the United States, and a bail hearing has been set for Friday,” Justice department spokesperson Ian McLeod said in a statement to The Globe and Mail. “As there is a publication ban in effect, we cannot provide any further detail at this time. The ban was sought by Ms. Meng.

A Canadian source with knowledge of the arrest said U.S. law enforcement authorities are alleging that Ms. Meng tried to evade the U.S. trade embargo against Iran but provided no further details.

Also at The Register and c|net.


Original Submission

Related Stories

Washington Asks Allies to Drop Huawei 36 comments

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984

Washington Asks Allies to Drop Huawei

The U.S. government has initiated an extraordinary outreach campaign to foreign allies, trying to persuade wireless and internet providers in these countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies Co., according to people familiar with the situation.

American officials have briefed their government counterparts and telecom executives in friendly countries where Huawei equipment is already in wide use, including Germany, Italy and Japan, about what they see as cybersecurity risks, these people said. The U.S. is also considering increasing financial aid for telecommunications development in countries that shun Chinese-made equipment, some of these people say.

Also: The US is warning other countries against using Huawei's 5G tech


Original Submission

Arrest of Huawei Executive Causing Discontent Among Chinese Elites 86 comments

Huawei Arrest Tests China's Leaders as Fear and Anger Grip Elite

The arrest of one of China's leading tech executives by the Canadian police for extradition to the United States has unleashed a combustible torrent of outrage and alarm among affluent and influential Chinese, posing a delicate political test for President Xi Jinping and his grip on the loyalty of the nation's elite.

The outpouring of conflicting sentiments — some Chinese have demanded a boycott of American products while others have expressed anxiety about their investments in the United States — underscores the unusual, politically charged nature of the Trump administration's latest move to counter China's drive for technological superiority.

In a hearing on Friday in Vancouver, Canadian prosecutors said the executive, Meng Wanzhou of the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, faced accusations of participating in a scheme to trick financial institutions into making transactions that violated United States sanctions against Iran.

Unlike a new round of tariffs or more tough rhetoric from American officials, the detention of Ms. Meng, the company's chief financial officer, appears to have driven home the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China in a visceral way for the Chinese establishment — and may force Mr. Xi to adopt a tougher stance against Washington, analysts said. In part, that is because Ms. Meng, 46, is so embedded in that establishment herself.

Previously: Canada Arrests Huawei's Global Chief Financial Officer in Vancouver

Related: New Law Bans U.S. Government from Buying Equipment from Chinese Telecom Giants ZTE and Huawei
Australia Bans China's Huawei (and maybe ZTE) from 5G Mobile Network Project
Washington Asks Allies to Drop Huawei


Original Submission

Politics: China Arrests Former Canadian Diplomat; Chinese Companies Ban iPhones, Require Huawei Phones 77 comments

Michael Kovrig, former Canadian diplomat, reportedly arrested in China

A former Canadian diplomat has reportedly been arrested in China. The International Crisis Group said Tuesday it's aware of reports that its North East Asia senior adviser Michael Kovrig has been detained.

The Brussels-based non-governmental organization said in a statement it's doing everything possible to obtain additional information about Kovrig's whereabouts and that it will work to ensure his prompt release.

The Globe and Mail in Toronto and the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported the arrest, citing unnamed sources.

Reports of Kovrig's detention come after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver's airport. It's unclear if there's any link between the cases.

Some Chinese companies ban iPhones, require Huawei after CFO's arrest: report

Some Chinese companies are banning iPhones and requiring that their employees use Huawei products following the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer, according to a new Yahoo News report. Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, was arrested by Canadian authorities last Saturday at the request of the U.S. after allegedly violating trade sanctions against Iran. Chinese officials have strongly protested Meng's detention.

Politics: Second Canadian Detained in China 45 comments

Canadian Michael Spavor detained in China as Huawei row continues

A second Canadian has been detained in China on accusations of harming national security, as tension continues between the two countries. It was confirmed on Thursday that Michael Spavor, a businessman, had been detained in addition to former diplomat Michael Kovrig.

Canada drew Chinese protests after it arrested an executive at telecoms giant Huawei at the request of the US. Meng Wanzhou has been bailed but may face extradition for fraud.

[...] Michael Spavor is a businessman based in Dandong, near the Chinese border with North Korea. He has ties to the North Korean government and has met its leader Kim Jong-un many times.

Ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig currently works for a think tank, the International Crisis Group (ICG), which has said it is concerned for his health and safety. He is being held officially "on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm China's state security".

However, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, suggested another reason, saying the ICG had not been registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in China and therefore it was unlawful for its staff to work there. Checks by Reuters news agency did not turn up a registration for ICG on government databases for NGOs or social enterprises.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has said Mr Kovrig's case was raised directly with Chinese officials.

The article has a photo of Spavor standing with Dennis Rodman.

Previously: Canada Arrests Huawei's Global Chief Financial Officer in Vancouver
Arrest of Huawei Executive Causing Discontent Among Chinese Elites
China Arrests Former Canadian Diplomat; Chinese Companies Ban iPhones, Require Huawei Phones


Original Submission

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @10:35AM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @10:35AM (#770592)

    Getting arrested in a foreign country can't do much for her social credit score back in China. Or, are you exempt from the government snooping & recording if you are as rich as she is?

    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Arik on Thursday December 06 2018, @12:00PM (1 child)

      by Arik (4543) on Thursday December 06 2018, @12:00PM (#770607) Journal
      "Getting arrested in a foreign country can't do much for her social credit score back in China. Or, are you exempt from the government snooping & recording if you are as rich as she is?"

      To take the first point last, no.

      No, the rich are not exempt. Only the single richest man is arguably exempt - but no one else.

      However, your first point is also wrong. Social credit score doesn't give a fsck about foreign countries issues unless and until they are backed up by something on official government letterhead.

      On that I'm just guessing, but that's how it works in the west even between close allies for the most part so it shouldn't be surprising if I'm right there as well.
      --
      If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
      • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Friday December 07 2018, @01:07PM

        by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Friday December 07 2018, @01:07PM (#771128) Homepage
        "Bravely trading for China even when the Evil USA is trying to stop you" = +ve social credit, no?
        --
        Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @09:12PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @09:12PM (#770852)
      It was China's government that decided to sell to Iran, not some businesswoman from a computer company. A retaliation from China is likely.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @06:02AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @06:02AM (#771045)

      Getting arrested in a foreign country can't do much for her social credit score back in China. Or, are you exempt from the government snooping & recording if you are as rich as she is?

      Depends if you're connected to the Communist Party. Richness is often linked, but secondary.

  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @11:14AM (8 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @11:14AM (#770597)

    Because this is how you start....

    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @11:27AM (7 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @11:27AM (#770601)

      Not really, just watch videos of what bill clinton said would happen when china joined the wto in 2000 and then compare to reality.

      The chinese gov seem to have gotten more totalitarian and militaristic since then and continue to purchase very little from the US and not take ip theft seriously. So all the original reasons for the US gov to have these favorable trade policies with them are gone... its surprising it went on for this long. People in the US love their practically slave labor prices that much I guess.

      • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @11:40AM (4 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @11:40AM (#770603)

        Slave owners were on the hook for medical bills and retirement, while homo economicus would still charge for that in practice people got /cheaper/ when freed.

        It's cheaper than slave labour!

        t. 五毛党

        • (Score: 4, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Thursday December 06 2018, @06:05PM

          by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday December 06 2018, @06:05PM (#770751)

          It's taxpayer supported. If WalMart had responsibility for their employees as slaves and gave them so little, they'd all die.

          --
          🌻🌻 [google.com]
        • (Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Thursday December 06 2018, @09:10PM (2 children)

          by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday December 06 2018, @09:10PM (#770851) Journal

          Slave owners were on the hook for medical bills and retirement

          "On the hook" generally means they're required to provide those things.

          Being allowed to shoot the slave in the head, instead of providing that healthcare and 401k, makes it pretty optional.

          • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @10:45PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @10:45PM (#770908)

            Slaves were really expensive to buy.

            Breeding them was very profitable if they were good stock, and no you can't just breed that one best guy over and over because he realistically can't raise that many kids. Yes, you do want the slaves raised properly so they're more useful to you/disciplined. Yes, you do want them to have a family connection rather than being raised by a community so your threats against their loved one's hold weight.

            Shooting them would be more expensive than not in terms of the trouble it would cause with one's other slaves. Seriously, when you own a small community you can't just slaughter their elders and expect the strong young men to placidly turn up to work. You can't practically maintain a security force more powerful than your slaves for cheaper than just using that security force for work instead of slaves.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @06:18AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @06:18AM (#771049)

            Being allowed to shoot the slave in the head, instead of providing that healthcare and 401k, makes it pretty optional.

            https://www.quora.com/Were-slaves-retired [quora.com]

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @07:31PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @07:31PM (#770799)

        If he people in the US do not take ip theft seriously then why should anyone else?

      • (Score: 2) by Lester on Friday December 07 2018, @09:08AM

        by Lester (6231) on Friday December 07 2018, @09:08AM (#771082) Journal

        Not to mention that China is the biggest USA's debt holder. China can sink dollar in a month. USA bankruptcy is bad for China, China would fall with USA. But the other way around is also true. If because of USA actions: sanctions, custom tariffs etc, China had little to lose, China would flood the market with USA debt.

        That is a too complex matter. It is difficult to get Trump understand it.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @12:07PM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @12:07PM (#770610)

    Canada Arrests Huawei's Global Chief Financial Officer in Vancouver, Canada

    Just to be sure... is that in Canada?

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:14PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:14PM (#770616)

    i dont live in the usa but boy am i glade they didnt remotely put an embargo on my toilet...

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:41PM (14 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:41PM (#770623)

    Why exactly is Iran the boogey man but e.g. Saudis are cool?

    • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:59PM (4 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:59PM (#770631)

      Are you really unaware of why?

      From 1972 to 1974, the US government made a series of agreements with Saudi Arabia, which created the petrodollar system.

      The US handpicked Saudi Arabia because of the kingdom’s vast petroleum reserves and its dominant position in OPEC—and because the Saudi royal family was (and is) easily corruptible.

      https://thecrux.com/trump-left-saudi-arabia-off-his-immigration-ban-heres-the-shocking-reason-why/ [thecrux.com]

      I guess that article calls it shocking but Id consider it basic knowledge.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @02:08PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @02:08PM (#770636)

        Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 08 2018, @11:04AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 08 2018, @11:04AM (#771478)

          #LockIvankaUp

      • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @07:08AM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @07:08AM (#771061)

        Also Iran after the war elected a leftish prime minister who wanted to nationalize the Iranian oil reserves that were at the time being extracted by British Petroleum (BP).

        London turned to DC for help with ousting him, so CIA went in an instigated a revolution complete with reinstating the shah that had been in exile.

        During the shah's rule, DC was buddy buddy to the point of selling Iran a bunch of F-14 jets that they still operate.

        But then there was a student/religious uprising that ousted the shah and replaced it with a religious leadership.

        A leadership that happens to be of a different major branch of Islam for the one practiced in Saudi-Arabia.

        On top of this, Iranians are not Arab but Persian (or at least majority that).

        All in all it is yet another legacy of the world wars, colonial times, and a sprinkling of cold war.

        • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Friday December 07 2018, @01:36PM

          by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Friday December 07 2018, @01:36PM (#771131) Homepage
          ^^ upmod this, it's the perfect "nutshell" version of affairs.

          If you enjoyed that precis, fun extra google terms can also include things like ollie north and the contras...

          It a messy knot of twisted roots. Perhaps it's best to just burn it down rather than try and fix it...
          --
          Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
    • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @02:14PM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @02:14PM (#770639)

      Why exactly is Iran the boogey man but e.g. Saudis are cool?

      One of those countries took over the American embassy and held diplomats hostage for more than a year. The other didn't.

      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @06:58PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @06:58PM (#770780)

        One of those countries had their legitimate government overthrown and a U.S. puppet installed.

      • (Score: 4, Interesting) by DeathMonkey on Thursday December 06 2018, @07:35PM

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday December 06 2018, @07:35PM (#770805) Journal

        One of those countries took over the American embassy and held diplomats hostage for more than a year. The other didn't.

        Correct, the other committed 9/11 instead.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 09 2018, @08:32PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 09 2018, @08:32PM (#772082)

        Because you can't have the one without hating the other.

    • (Score: 0, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @02:16PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @02:16PM (#770642)

      Iran is formally at war with all non-Muslims while the Saudis pretend to be a Western ally and recently overthrew a government that had been stabbing the West in the back.

      All of the media bitching about Jamal Khashoggi is because he was part of the old government and a good friend of Osama bin Laden.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday December 06 2018, @03:27PM (1 child)

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday December 06 2018, @03:27PM (#770681) Journal

      Why exactly is Iran the boogey man but e.g. Saudis are cool?

      Because Iran vows the destruction of Israel (the little Satan) and the US (the great Satan). It wouldn't matter if it were hyperbole, even though it is not hyperbole.

      The Saudis do business with Israel and the US.

      --
      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @12:48AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @12:48AM (#770965)

        That's right!! Action speaks louder than words!

    • (Score: 3, Informative) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:45PM

      by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us (6553) on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:45PM (#770720) Journal

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavi#Foreign_relations [wikipedia.org]

      and

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution [wikipedia.org]

      would give you a good starting point for why Iran is the bogey man.

      (i.e. the animosity has been more than mutual).

      As for Saudi Arabia, here [wikipedia.org], for starters. Saudi Arabia has always been willing to negotiate and dicker and cooperates with whomever it finds it the best deal. Something which cannot be said of Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, or any of the minor players except Kuwait and UAE. But of the mid-East power players Israel and Saudi Arabia have been the most friendly or more accurately least hostile.

      --
      This sig for rent.
    • (Score: 2) by crafoo on Friday December 07 2018, @02:28AM

      by crafoo (6639) on Friday December 07 2018, @02:28AM (#770999)

      USA "requires" oil sales to be made in USA dollars. Two countries come to mind that do not do this: Iran and N. Korea. I think there are maybe 1 or 2 others. One was a North African country whose leader was gleefully murdered.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:21PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:21PM (#770710)

    30 years ago at the height of the Cuban sanctions, the US wouldn't have called for the extradition of Canadians or Europeans who travelled to Cuba. Probably because other countries would have laughed it off. But now they have moved into a slavish dependence on US good will. What countries still afford themselves sovereignty except for the US? I can only think of Russia, China, India, North Korea and Iran.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @07:21AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @07:21AM (#771068)

      It would also lead to comparisons to the USSR, and not in positive terms.

      The world is missing a low water mark of sorts, or perhaps a legitimate non-capitalist alternative system to scare the suits with.

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:34PM

    by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us (6553) on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:34PM (#770716) Journal

    ... Julian Assange had better stay safely in the Ecuadorian embassy.

    --
    This sig for rent.
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @07:01PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @07:01PM (#770782)

    35 US CEO's detatained in China for various charges and violations including 11 unlawful entry visas.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @08:50PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @08:50PM (#770841)

      ue

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @01:13AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @01:13AM (#770970)

        Que?

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @10:21PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @10:21PM (#770898)

    She arrives in US post-extradition and they find a dime bag of Canadian marijuana in her pocket. Trudeau's fingerprints are on the bag.

  • (Score: 2) by legont on Friday December 07 2018, @02:16AM

    by legont (4179) on Friday December 07 2018, @02:16AM (#770995)

    She is a daughter of a very powerful man. While the US or perhaps even Canada may do a deal with China one day, the man will have to protect his reputation. People responsible for arresting his daughter will be punished.

    --
    "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @04:22AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 07 2018, @04:22AM (#771027)

    So a citizen of China, is arrested in Canada, at the request of the USA, who accuses her of violating a USA-imposed trade sanction?

    Is China legally obligated by treaty or other agreement to abide by US sanctions against third parties? If yes, shouldn't China have been the one to do the arresting? If no, how is this even remotely legal?

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