'US To Proceed With Meng Wanzhou Extradition Plea'

The United States will proceed with the formal extradition from Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, Canada’s ambassador to the United States told the Globe and Mail, in a move certain to ratchet up tensions with China.

David MacNaughton, in an interview with the Canadian newspaper, said the US has told Canada it will request Meng’s extradition, but he did not say when the request will be made. The deadline for filing is January 30, or 60 days after Meng was arrested on December 1 in Vancouver.

Meng, the daughter of Huawei Technologies founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested at the request of the United States over alleged violations of US sanctions on Iran. She was released on bail last month and is due in court in Vancouver on February 6.

Relations between China and Canada turned frosty after the arrest, with China detaining two Canadian citizens and sentencing to death a Canadian man previously found guilty of drug smuggling.

The Chinese firm said on Tuesday it had no comment while a US Justice Department spokesman said, “We will comment through our filings.”

Canada is one of over 100 countries with which the United States has extradition treaties. Once a formal request is received, a Canadian court must determine within 30 days if there is sufficient evidence to support extradition, and Canada’s Minister of Justice must give a formal order. (Reuters)

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