Canada demands China release Canadians for the first time

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, left, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaks to reporters during a news conference at the State Department in Washington, Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

TORONTO — Canada is moving away from diplomatic caution and making is first formal demand for China to immediately release two Canadians who have been detained in apparent retaliation for Canada’s arrest of a top Chinese tech executive.

The U.S., the U.K. and the EU also issued statements in support of Canada.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Friday the detentions are arbitrary.

A top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei was arrested in Canada on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States, which wants her extradited to face charges that she and her company misled banks about the company’s business dealings in Iran.

Nine days later, the Chinese secretly detained two Canadians on vague suspicions of “engaging in activities that endanger the national security” of China.