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A timeline of the cases of Meng Wanzhou and the Canadians detained in China

A third Canadian has been detained in China since Huawei Technologies CFO was arrested in Vancouver
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Chinese officials are demanding Canada release Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested in Vancouver. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A timeline of the Meng Wanzhou case, and rising tension between Canada and China.

Aug. 22: A New York court issues a warrant for the arrest of Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou.

Dec. 1: Canadian authorities arrest Meng at VancouverBԪַs airport while she is en route from Hong Kong to Mexico, after an extradition request from the Americans. The news becomes public on Dec. 5.

Dec. 6: China demands Canada release Meng and BԪַimmediately correct the mistakeBԪַ officials made in arresting her. The Chinese also say they were not briefed on the reasons for MengBԪַs arrest.

In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says MengBԪַs case is part of an independent legal process with no outside political influence.

Dec. 7: Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says CanadaBԪַs envoy to China has briefed Chinese officials about MengBԪַs case. She declines to comment on suggestions from analysts and former diplomats that China will likely retaliate by jailing Canadians.

In Vancouver, Meng appears in court, where allegations of fraud are laid out. The U.S. alleges Meng misled American banks in a bid to get around American sanctions on Iran.

Dec. 8: CanadaBԪַs ambassador to China, John McCallum, is summoned to a meeting with ChinaBԪַs assistant foreign minister so the country can register complaints about MengBԪַs arrest. BԪַChina strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately release the detained Huawei executive BԪַ or face grave consequences that the Canadian side should be held accountable for,BԪַ the assistant minister, Le Yucheng, says in a statement.

Dec. 9: China summons the American ambassador to China to lodge similar complaints about MengBԪַs case and demand the U.S. rescind the order for her arrest.

Dec. 10: Chinese authorities arrest two Canadian men. Michael Kovrig, , and entrepreneur Michael Spavor. KovrigBԪַs arrest becomes public on Dec. 11. SpavorBԪַs becomes public on Dec. 12.

Meanwhile, ChinaBԪַs vice premier, with responsibility for the domestic economy, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin talk about the ongoing tariff battle between the two countries.

Dec. 11: In the morning, Kelly Craft, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, tells reporters it is BԪַabsolutely falseBԪַ to assume a political motive behind the MengBԪַs arrest.

Later in the day, Meng . In an affidavit submitted for a bail hearing, Meng, 46, details a lifetime of health issues, including thyroid cancer, sleep apnea and high blood pressure.

The day ends with U.S. President Donald Trump telling Reuters in an interview that he would BԪַcertainly interveneBԪַ in MengBԪַs case BԪַif I thought it was necessaryBԪַ to help forge a trade deal with China.

Dec. 12: ChinaBԪַs foreign ministry says it has no information about Kovrig, but says the organization he worked with BԪַ the International Crisis Group BԪַ was not registered in China, making its activities in the country illegal.

The Liberals spend the day outlining how the extradition process will work, reiterating that it is an independent process. Trudeau reaffirms CanadaBԪַs commitment to the rule of law, BԪַregardless of what goes on in other countries.BԪַ Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould says she takes her BԪַextradition responsibilities and obligations very seriouslyBԪַ and that the final decision on extraditions lies with her. Freeland warns any comments made in the United States could be used by MengBԪַs lawyers before Canadian courts, which would have to judge their relevance in deciding whether to follow through on the American extradition request.

Dec. 13: Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer accuses Trudeau of taking a BԪַnaive approachBԪַ to China, leaving Canada without BԪַthe leverage that we might otherwise haveBԪַ to resolve the situation. He calls on Trudeau to reach out to the highest levels of the Chinese government.

Earlier in the day, TrumpBԪַs trade adviser, Peter Navarro, says the arrests of the two Canadians were plainly a response to MengBԪַs arrest: BԪַThatBԪַs the Chinese playbook and again the problem we always have with China is when we launch legitimate concerns over whatever it is, China comes back and does these kinds of actions.BԪַ

ChinaBԪַs foreign ministry says Kovrig and Spavor have been detained on suspicion of BԪַendangering national security.BԪַ

Dec. 14: Canadian officials are granted consular access to Kovrig, and McCallum meets with him in Beijing. MengBԪַs case comes up during a meeting between Freeland and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with the two agreeing that no politics be injected into the extradition process. Pompeo publicly calls on China to release Kovrig and Spavor.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Trudeau says Canada will shortly be granted consular access to Spavor.

Dec. 16: Canadian diplomats in China are granted consular access to Spavor.

Dec. 19: Global Affairs Canada says a third Canadian has been detained in China. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government has no reason to believe the case is linked to the detention of Kovrig and Spavor.

The Canadian Press

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