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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.
Now, Chinese companies are promoting Huawei and barring Apple, an American company. Menpad, an LCD display maker and Huawei supplier, on Monday said it will punish employees who buy iPhones with a fine equivalent to the American smartphone's market price, the South China Morning Post reported. It also vowed that the company will no longer buy American products, including office supplies and computers, and will offer a 15 percent subsidy for employees who are buying Huawei phones, according to the Post.
Japan's top three telcos to exclude Huawei, ZTE network equipment: Kyodo
Japan's big three telecom operators plan not to use current equipment and upcoming fifth-generation (5G) gear from China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp, Kyodo News reported on Monday.
The news, for which Kyodo did not cite sources, comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of Chinese tech firms by Washington and some prominent allies over ties to the Chinese government, driven by concerns they could be used by Beijing for spying. Last week sources told Reuters that Japan planned to ban government purchases of equipment from Huawei and ZTE to ensure strength in its defences against intelligence leaks and cyber attacks.
See also: How Meng Wanzhou's Arrest Might Backfire
Previously: Canada Arrests Huawei's Global Chief Financial Officer in Vancouver
Arrest of Huawei Executive Causing Discontent Among Chinese Elites
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
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday December 12 2018, @06:48AM (16 children)
Let's look at it in context:
In other words, because we have a country which is ruled by power rather than law, we need to compromise rule of law with an ample helping of "discretion" (which would not be necessary at all, if the target didn't have substantial economic and political muscle) and avoid a conflict which already exists - the rule of power in China versus the rule of law in the developed world. The cognitive dissonance of this cowardice is interesting.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @07:13AM (3 children)
People are afraid of a nuclear war, which is the end result of any war between nuclear powers. That is called being smart not coward. The truth of the matter is that there are a large number of people who are living in incredibly gifted lands but they are being slowly decimated because they are not industrious. I am talking about colonialism, of course. This is how West rose. China has taken it to the next level where the Chinese are willing to make self-sacrifices to in the competition to become industrious, and the West isn't.
In related news, an American decided to contact a tribe in Indian ocean which is banned activity by Indian government. Wonder what would have happened if the tribe hadn't killed him and instead he got arrested.
In yet another news, an American citizen shot dead a Pakistani citizen on the open road but couldn't be arrested due to USA's clout.
In yet another news, Osama was killed without authorization from Pakistan.
The "discretion" already exists - you don't have rule of law. The question is, do you think sacrificing what makes West great is cowardice?
It is almost as if looking into the future and seeing white terrorists wandering around the nuclear desert of America planning to bring down the Chinese infidel and restore Western values.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday December 12 2018, @02:53PM (2 children)
The key word is "afraid". And there were plenty of wars between the US and USSR, fought by proxy powers, that didn't end in nuclear war. Not saying it's a great idea, but just noting that even in worst case, the fear is overblown.
And those people would be?
China has to in order to survive. But as they get wealthier, they'll get less interested in self-sacrifice.
In other words, his status as "American" didn't protect him from the laws of the locals. Meanwhile, if he had been arrested by India, he likely would have been appropriately punished. Nor is this "related news".
Found the story [eurasiareview.com] (which notes that the victims came up on the American in a typical attack approach). Meanwhile a number of Americans have been murdered, kidnapped, etc with similar lack of consequence (here [cbsnews.com], here [cbsnews.com], here [dailymail.co.uk], and here [wikipedia.org]. Maybe this supposed immunity of Americans is just due to Pakistan not enforcing well its laws on murder than the nationality of the murderer?
Stupid thing to say. Was the attempt to capture/kill Hitler by the Soviets authorized by the German government? Why would the US wait for authorization before killing a military target protected by the host country? Here, there's evidence that bin Laden was protected by Pakistani intelligence (working with the local tribes allied with Al Qaeda) which has often worked at cross-purposes with the rest of the Pakistani government. So not telling Pakistan means not telling the people protecting bin Laden. It's standard intelligence 101 - don't tell your foes what you are about to do. That's quite legal, you know.
Uh huh. Pakistan's problems with rule of law is not a US problem.
One can dream, amirite? I wonder why people imagining all these bad things, seem so hopeful about it?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @06:30PM (1 child)
Reading is hard, I know. Why read or use brain when you can start an argument like a retard.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday December 12 2018, @09:53PM
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @09:13AM (3 children)
Nobody accuse Canuckistan for their "principles".
Also, Air Canada is garbage.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday December 12 2018, @11:23AM
*Nobody accuse Canuckistan for their "principles".*
Now try typing a real sentence.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @09:30PM (1 child)
I flew AC not long ago, and being that it is a Canadian national company, they have to make all the announcements in English and French.
The pilot completely butchered the French announcements with a broad Canadian English accent and apparently trying to read from a provided French script.
I thought all Canucks had to learn both French and English in school.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @11:19PM
Haha, a common misconception. Canadians are required one alternate language to their native French or English, the 2nd language requirement is Moose [wikipedia.org].
I think we've got it much easier here in the US, only one extra language requirement in most states and the only PERL interaction is with old farts who clutch them so hard no one else needs to worry.
(Score: 2) by shortscreen on Wednesday December 12 2018, @10:33AM (5 children)
Rule of law works well when legislators mind their own jurisdiction and take their jobs seriously. The US fails on both counts.
US sanctions are mostly a childish attempt to harm political enemies. It's the same as bible-belt states passing arbitrary restrictions on abortion clinics. They haven't been able to ban them but they still want to make things difficult for the dirty fornicators and abortion doctors so they pass some BS laws out of spite, with no pretense of serving order or justice. (Or for another example, see CA's recent boardroom gender law that they passed "to send a message")
Besides, the US shouldn't be crying "rule of law" to anyone unless they are ready to round up their own war criminals for extradition.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by khallow on Wednesday December 12 2018, @02:30PM (4 children)
Political enemies who have been trying to get nuclear weapons and have a long history of bad behavior. The analogy breaks down at this point.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday December 12 2018, @06:27PM (3 children)
"Hey, what makes you think you should be trying to get weapons to counter our constant threats?"
"bad behavior" is pretty cute, coming from Americans talking about Iran.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday December 12 2018, @09:52PM (2 children)
It's certainly not the many years of economic sanctions.
Remember the Shah of Iran was sandwiched between two other shitty governments. US can't take the blame for it all.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday December 12 2018, @10:40PM (1 child)
>> "Hey, what makes you think you should be trying to get weapons to counter our constant threats?"
> It's certainly not the many years of economic sanctions.
Imagine swapping places, with Iran teaming up with the neighbors to punish the US for refusing to drop its silly non-religious constitution and stop its support for Israel, supporting groups in Canada trying to overthrow the US government, and having a history of having successfully burnt the white house.
I can hear our 2nd amendment supporters rubbing their guns.
>> "bad behavior" is pretty cute, coming from Americans talking about Iran.
> Remember the Shah of Iran was sandwiched between two other shitty governments. US can't take the blame for it all.
"sandwiched" is an interesting way of putting it.
What would the current government of highly-educated briefly-democratic Iran currently be, if the US hasn't gotten involved ?
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday December 12 2018, @10:53PM
You don't get why Iran suddenly had troubles with the neighbors? They stole a bunch of oil infrastructure in the first place.
It'd probably look much the same. The biggest potential difference would be whether it was a territory of Iraq or the USSR.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @12:05PM (1 child)
Well, only those laws where you try to tell other sovereign countries what they can and cannot do. China isn't going to give a shit about laws that are only applied domestically.
So tell me, why the hell should the USA have the right to tell China and Iran that they cannot trade?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Wednesday December 12 2018, @03:04PM
The US doesn't. China and Iran already trade. What the US does is mandates that US businesses can't be involved in such trade. Here, the problem is that there was fraud. Rather than use non-US banks not subject to US law, Meng Wanzhou committed fraud in order to get a US bank to work directly and illegally with a business engaged in trade with Iran.
And Chinese government is notorious for on-the-fly decisions about what is legal or illegal, often dependent on what they can take at the time.