Canada approves extradition hearing of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou

Canada on Friday launched the extradition of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou to the United States -- the latest move in a case that has roiled relations between the North American neighbours and China.

Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, was detained in Vancouver last December and is under house arrest. In late January, the US justice department charged Meng and Huawei with conspiring to violate US sanctions on Iran.

Meng will appear in a Vancouver court on 6 March, when a date will be set for her extradition hearing.

“Today, Department of Justice Canada officials issued an authority to proceed, formally commencing an extradition process in the case of Meng Wanzhou,” the government said in a statement.

Beijing was quick to react, saying Ottawa's action amounted to a "severe political incident."

Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement on Saturday that Beijing “deplores and firmly opposes the Canadian side’s obstinately moving forward the so-called judicial process”.

He said: “We once again urge the US side to immediately withdraw the arrest warrant and extradition request for Meng Wanzhou and urge the Canadian side to immediately release Meng Wanzhou and ensure that she returns to China safe and sound.”

After Meng’s detention, China arrested two Canadians on national security grounds, and a Chinese court later sentenced to death a Canadian man who previously had only been jailed for drug smuggling.

Ottawa rejects Chinese calls to release Meng, saying it cannot interfere with the judiciary.

“The Chinese side is utterly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the issuance of [the] authority to proceed,” the embassy in Ottawa said in a statement.

Beijing had earlier questioned the state of judicial independence in Canada, noting the government faced accusations it had tried to intervene to stop a corruption trial.

Meng’s lawyers said they were disappointed and described the US charges as politically motivated.