Shame on Canada for being US yes-man: China Daily editorial

It was reported on Tuesday that the United States will proceed with the formal extradition from Canada of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer.

Canada did what the US asked of it in detaining Meng without considering whether it was proper or not to do, so it is anticipated that it will carry on doing the US' bidding, even though its use of long-arm jurisdiction in this way is highly problematic.

If Canada does continue to do what is required of it by the US, it will certainly see its relations with China, including its trade relations, further deteriorate, since it has the choice not to carry out the extradition of Meng on what are trumped-up charges.

Canada has exacerbated the problem it has created for itself by seeking to establish a connection between China's arrest of two Canadians with its own holding of Meng, despite none existing. China has explained that what the two Canadians were doing posed a threat to its national security.

It is even more ridiculous for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to claim that China arbitrarily handed out the death penalty to a Canadian citizen after a local Chinese court sentenced Robert Lloyd Schellenberg to death for drug trafficking. Schellenberg was caught trying to smuggle more than 200 kilograms of methamphetamine to Australia, a crime that carries the death penalty according to China's Criminal Law. As does operating an international drug-trafficking operation, a separate charge that Schellenberg was also found guilty of.

Huawei, because of its success as one of the world's largest smartphone makers and telecommunications equipment providers, has become a convenient lightning rod for US anxiety about China's growing technological might. It has spared no efforts in demonizing the Chinese company and even persuaded other countries, its allies in particular, not to use Huawei's products.

The risk of Huawei's products being used for spying is simply a pretext; the US has never found any evidence to support this allegation. However, it has found allies such as Canada that are willing to go along with its pressure tactics against the Chinese company, for reasons of their own.

By detaining Meng at the request of the US, Canada is acting as an accomplice in the US attempt to squeeze the space for China's technological advancement by containing the development of its telecoms pacemaker and even killing the company.

Canada should be ashamed of what it has done with Meng, and realize that it will be the biggest loser if it continues to be the US yes-man.