Scheer blames Trudeau’s ‘naive approach’ to China for Huawei crisis
OTTAWA — The dilemma Canada finds itself in over its arrest of top Chinese business executive Meng Wanzhou is a result of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “naive approach” to China, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer insisted Thursday.
Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig were detained this week in Beijing on suspicion of “engaging in activities that endanger the national security” of China.
The men were taken into custody only days after Canada arrested Meng on a request from American authorities who want her extradited to the United States on suspicion of bank fraud, related to an alleged attempt to circumvent U.S. sanctions on Iran. Meng is the chief financial officer of technology giant Huawei and the daughter of its founder.
“We now find ourselves in a situation where we have Canadian citizens on foreign soil detained and a government that has pursued a policy of appeasement, putting us in a position where we don’t have the leverage that we might otherwise have,” Scheer said in Ottawa. “I believe that this situation demonstrates that Justin Trudeau’s naive approach to relations with China isn’t working.”