Reuters, Shanghai, September 27-Two Canadians, Kang Mingkai and Michael Spaffer, arrested in China more than two years ago, have returned to Canada over the weekend. Chinese media quoted official sources on Sunday evening as saying that the two Canadians “Applying for bail pending review on the grounds of illness.”
The WeChat public account “Governor of Chang’an Avenue” under the Beijing Daily and the Global Times and other Chinese media reported that “After being confirmed by relevant departments and diagnosed by professional medical institutions, and guaranteed by the Canadian ambassador to China, the two defendants were dealt with on September 25. The security agency shall execute the decision to approve the release on guarantee pending trial and the ruling to suspend the trial of the case in accordance with the law.”
The article stated that the two defendants confessed to the facts of the crime and wrote personally confession materials.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Friday that two Canadian citizens who had been detained in China for more than 1,000 days had left China to return home.
Spaffer is a businessman who was charged with espionage along with former Canadian diplomat Kovrig Mingkai. At the time, Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the end of 2018 caused tensions between China and Canada.
A Canadian judge signed a release order from Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on Friday, canceling the bail conditions. Meng Wanzhou, who has been under house arrest in Vancouver for nearly three years, finally regained his freedom. (over)
Posting by Wu Fang; reviewing Qu Guijuan
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