Justin Trudeau. Photo: VCG
UPDATE: 3:32 p.m.
China's foreign ministry spokesperson today confirmed that the Canadian arrested this week, Sarah McIver, was detained for working in China illegally, the Global Times reported. She is not suspected of any national security-related offenses.
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A third Canadian arrested in China is not being held over national security concerns, unlike two previous cases, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
"The others arrested ... were accused of serious crimes, problems regarding national security, intelligence, so those cases are more serious," Trudeau said in French, according to broadcaster CBC. "We're currently looking at them.”
Citing anonymous sources, Canadian outlet the National Post reported that the detainee is an Alberta woman named Sarah McIver, who had been teaching at a school in China before being taken into custody due to visa complications. The Post said “arrangements were being made for her to return to Canada.”
The news initially caused concern among some China-watchers, who suspected that the case could be connected to two previous arrests of Canadians in China this month.
Former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor were separately arrested on suspicion of endangering China’s national security. Their arrests came just days after Canada detained a top Chinese telecom executive at the request of the United States. Washington accuses Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou of involvement in financial transactions that violated U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Meng was arrested Dec. 1 in Vancouver. She is awaiting a hearing to determine if she will be extradited to the U.S.
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