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US-China relations
ChinaDiplomacy

China-US relations: Xi Jinping raised Meng Wanzhou case in talks with Joe Biden

  • Beijing confirms the Huawei executive was discussed during September 9 phone call between two leaders
  • White House says Biden brought up Spavor and Kovrig

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China says Meng Wanzhou’s case was raised by Chinese President Xi Jinping in talks with US President Joe Biden in early September. Photo: AP
Liu Zhen
China confirmed on Tuesday that President Xi Jinping demanded the United States resolve the saga over Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou, during a phone call with his US counterpart Joe Biden earlier this month.

“President Xi Jinping made a clear and specific effort on the Meng Wanzhou incident, clarified China’s position, and demanded that the United States settle the issue properly as soon as possible,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in Beijing.

Hua said Xi had taken a personal interest in the case since Meng was detained in Canada in December 2018 at the request of the US.

“The Chinese government has done a lot of work at different levels, providing consular protection and assistance to Meng, and making solemn representation to the US and Canada to demand the charges against her be dropped and she be allowed to return to China,” she said.

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Chinese netizens swoon over hero’s return and husband’s greeting for Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou

Chinese netizens swoon over hero’s return and husband’s greeting for Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou

After nearly three years under house arrest in Vancouver, Meng was released on Friday after admitting wrongdoing – but not guilt – in a case relating to alleged violations of US sanctions on Iran.

US prosecutors struck a deferred prosecution deal with Meng in which she admitted misleading HSBC about the nature of Huawei’s relationship with a company that did business in Iran and admitted that Huawei’s business dealings violated US sanctions against Tehran.
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