OTTAWA— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has brushed off Donald Trump’s extraordinary boast that the U.S. president might intervene in his government’s move to have a Huawei executive extradited from Canada on fraud charges if it would help advance U.S. trade talks with China.“Regardless of what goes on in other countries, Canada is and will always remain a country with the rule of law,” Trudeau told reporters Wednesday, as an international furor erupted over the apparent tit-for-tat arrest of a Canadian former diplomat.On his way into a national caucus meeting, Trudeau provided no update on China’s detention of Michael Kovrig other than to say government officials are engaging with Chinese officials.“This is obviously an issue we’re taking very seriously and is ongoing,” said the prime minister.The Chinese government has refused to acknowledge Kovrig’s detention, but repeated its call for Meng Wanzhou to be immediately released.Lu Kang, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, is not registered in China and its activities in the country are illegal.Meng is chief financial officer with the Chinese smartphone and telecommunications equipment maker Huawei. She was released on strict bail conditions while she awaits a formal extradition hearing in Canadian courts in the months ahead, where the U.S. is expected to present its case through Canadian prosecutors.“Our request is very clear, that is, the Canadian side should immediately release the detained Ms. Meng Wanzhou and to protect her legitimate rights and interests,” Lu said.The Chinese news agency Beijing News reported that state security was investigating Kovrig for violating national security, a serious charge.But Kovrig’s employer, the International Crisis Group, denied he was engaged in anything other than above-board research and reporting, and mo ...
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