China has charged two Canadians with spying, more than half a year as they were imprisoned.

Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, and Michael Spavor, a businessman, have been arrested in China since December 2018.

Both these have been charged with “spying on national secrets” and giving intelligence for “outside entities”.

They were arrested after Meng Wanzhou – an executive of Huawei was arrested in Vancouver.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he is “disappointed” that China has formally charged two Canadians.

He said, “We’re of course disappointed with the decision taken by the Chinese in the case of the two Michaels,”

Canada termed the arrests ‘arbitrary’, but China refused they were retaliation for Ms. Meng’s arrest.
Meng Wanzhou – the chief financial officer of Huawei, and daughter of the company’s founder, was detained in Vancouver on 1st December 2018.

The international news agency said that the US had requested for her arrest. The US blamed her for violating Iranian sanctions.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused China of “using arbitrary detention as a tool to achieve political goals” in September.

Michael Kovrig’s employer, the Crisis Group think tank, said that he has not seen a lawyer of his family since the arrest.

“Michael’s work has included meeting…Chinese officials, academics and analysts from multiple Chinese state institutions,”

“He has attended numerous conferences at the invitation of Chinese organizations. He frequently appears on Chinese television and in other media to comment on regional issues.

“Nothing Michael does has harmed China.”