Canadian ambassador to China 'disappointed' at Spavor's sentence in espionage case

Canadian Ambassador Dominic Barton (C) talks to diplomats of other countries near the Dandong city detention center after attending the guilty verdict hearing on Canadian businessman Michael Spavor on spying charges in the border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on August 11, 2021. Credit: AFP Photo

Canada's ambassador to China said he was disappointed after a Chinese court sentenced Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to 11 years in prison for espionage, in a case seen in Ottawa and Washington as part of a wider diplomatic spat with Beijing.

Spavor and another Canadian, Michael Kovrig, are being detained arbitrarily and Canada will continue to call for their release, said Dominic Barton, speaking to reporters via video call from the northeastern city of Dandong, where Spavor was sentenced.

Barton said he interprets the sentence to mean that Spavor will be deported after serving 11 years.

Also read: Canadian Michael Spavor jailed for 11 years in China on spying charges

Spavor's sentencing comes as lawyers in Canada representing the chief financial officer of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei make a final push to convince a court there not to extradite her to the United States.

Proceedings against Canadian citizens were not a coincidence, said Barton.

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