China and the US are embroiled in a trade dispute that is weighing heavily on global financial markets
China on May 30 accused the United States of repeatedly lying about the effects of the trade war on its economy in the Huawei issue. Pic/AFP
Beijing: China warned Canada on Friday that it needs to be aware of the consequences of aiding the US in an extradition case involving Chinese tech giant Huawei that is believed to have sparked the detentions of two Canadians in China.
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Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang's comments came after US Vice President Mike Pence and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Both were arrested on December 10 after Canada detained a Huawei executive wanted by the United States on fraud charges. While China has denied they were taken in retaliation, it has repeatedly implied that there is a strong connection between the cases.
Korvig, a former diplomat and Asia expert at the International Crisis Group, and Spavor, a businessman, have been accused of colluding to steal state secrets. Canada has repeatedly urged their immediate release, calling their detentions arbitrary. Neither has been permitted access to lawyers or family members.
"We hope that the Canadian side can have a clear understanding of the consequences of endangering itself for the gains of the US and take immediate actions to correct its mistakes so as to spare itself the suffering from growing damage," Geng said.
Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the company's founder, is accused of lying to banks about the company's dealings with Iran in violation of US trade sanctions.
Another Canadian held in China was re-sentenced to death in a drug case following Meng's detention. Washington has pressured other countries to limit the use of Huawei's technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information.
No more preferential trade status to India
The US is not going to reverse its decision to terminate India's designation as a beneficiary developing nation under the key GSP trade programme with a senior Trump administration official terming the suspension a "done deal". India needs to address some of America's major concerns, he said.
No tax exemption to Pakistani diplomats
The US has withdrawn its special tax exemption to Pakistani diplomats, over a year after the Trump administration imposed travel restrictions on them, forcing the officials to stay within 40 km of the city they are posted in. It provides sales and use, occupancy, food, airline, gas, and utility tax exemptions to them.
Illegal migrants tariffs for Mexico
Trump announced on Thursday that he is slapping a five per cent tariff on all Mexican imports, effective June 10, to pressure the country to do more to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants trying to cross the US border. He said the percentage could gradually increase "up to 25 per cent."
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