China Charges Detained Canadians With Spying

[EagerBeaver]

It seems like if they were spies the timing of their detainments was very odd:

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor: China charges Canadians with spying

Their arrests were seen as retaliation for the detention of a Huawei boss - something China denies.

www.bbc.com

Note that the conviction rate for spies in China is 100%. I am not sure if this is due to top notch prosecutors. In any event, it does not look good for them at trial.

Unfortunately, Canada is caught in a power struggle between China and the USA over Meng Wengzhou. USA does not want her released, China is using the 2 Canadians as leverage. Unfortunately for the 2 Canadian dudes, they just picked a bad time to be in China. Wrong place, wrong time, situation.

 

[donbusch]

Might get worse for Canada. Over at another top US ally, Australia’s beef & barley exports to China have been stopped after Australia strongly supported an inquiry into China’s handling of the coronavirus. Australia’s support for the inquiry was reportedly made at the behest of the US, its longtime ally. Ironically, China is now said to be buying US beef to substitute the Australian beef that was stopped.

Australian PM then doubled down & said he won’t be bullied only to have China restricting its student & tourist biz to Australia.Now there are rumors that China might even target Chinese investments in Australian real estate.

As China-Australia relations sour, real estate joins list of casualties

Fraying relations between Beijing and Canberra could hit Australian real estate market that relies on Chinese money for its vigour.

www.scmp.com

Seems China’s new strategy is to try to make US allies question whether it’s worth taking sides in the first place.

 

[Flabert]

The problem with China is that they only learn from behavior, they care little about our empty words.

If Canadians cave to the pressure, there will always be pressure. We need to be fair but keep our judicial system impartial. Otherwise, we could just arrest 2 random Chinese tourists and then even the score but that is not what we do.

Finally, China needs agricultural products so they can play hot potato with countries but they are just moving the problem around. As for Real Estate in Australia, Chinese citizens are always looking for a way to get their money out of China (where it can be confiscated any time) so if not australia then they will send it elsewhere. Remember the huawei cfo owned multiple houses in Vancouver.

 

[donbusch]

I believe Canada will stand firm but it’s tough when the leader of the ally for whom u’re standing firm, shows little gratitude.

Trump on track to slap tariffs on Canada’s aluminum again

If the Trump administration moves forward with the tariffs, it would come just as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement enters into force on July 1.

www.politico.com

China will just play us off against one another unless we all stand together.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Just my opinion but the US baited Canada into holding Meng knowing China would retaliate. Using hindsight Canada could have said Ooops she escaped, not the right thing to do but the two detainees in China would not have been held.

 

[fakiho]

Kovrig works for International Crisis Group, which is a Soros-funded regime change think tank. I wouldn't be surprised if he really was a spy.