Canada seeking let go of pair charged in China
Canada is performing "very actively" to buying two of its citizens charged with spying found in China, Canadian Primary Minister Justin Trudeau has said.
Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained in China in December 2018 but were only charged on Friday.
Their arrests came just days after Meng Wanzhou - an executive of the Chinese giant Huawei - was detained in Vancouver, at the request of the US.
China denies that the arrests were found in retaliation for Ms Meng's detention.
Mr Trudeau said he was "concerned and disappointed" by the expenses against Mr Kovrig, a good ex - diplomat, and Mr Spavor, a good businessman, calling their detention "arbitrary".
Canadian officials were using both private and open public tactics "to ensure we have a positive outcome", he added at a press conference on Friday.
Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor have already been charged with "spying on national secrets" and providing cleverness for "outside entities".
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she was "heartbroken and really angry" when she heard the pair have been charged, adding that Canada "won't rest" until they come home.
The men are "very brave Canadians who are behaving with incredible decency and incredible courage" and so are in very difficult circumstances "through no fault of their own", she said.
China's court program is completely manipulated by the Communist Party and comes with an almost 100% conviction fee once defendants are billed, notes the BBC's Stephen McDonell in Beijing.
The Chinese government hasn't explicitly linked the cases of both Canadians with Meng Wanzhou nonetheless it has dropped heavy hints that there is a connection, he explains.
At the Chinese foreign ministry's standard press briefings, spokespeople routinely mention the fate of the Canadians and that of the daughter of Huawei's founder in the same response.
Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor could face 10 years found in prison if found guilty of violating Content 111 of the Criminal Regulation of the People's Republic of China.
The Canadian prime minister also said he continued to highlight to China that the Canadian judicial system is independent and Mr Trudeau's government cannot hinder their decisions about Ms Meng.
