China hits back at criticism of its detention of Canadians

File Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying/China Daily

BEIJING  — China has rejected the Canadian foreign minister’s statement that Chinese detentions of Canadians pose a threat to all countries.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Thursday that Canada instead poses a threat to Chinese by detaining a Chinese citizen for “no reason.” She was referring to the arrest of a Chinese telecoms executive at the request of the United States.

China detained two Canadians shortly after the executive’s arrest in what Western analysts see as an attempt to pressure Canada to release her.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said earlier this week that “the arbitrary detentions of Canadians … represent a way of behaving which is a threat to all countries.”

Hua said Freeland may have spoken without thinking, and that such remarks won’t help settle the issue./gsg