WASHINGTON- A Canadian former diplomat has been detained in China, thethink tank where he now works said Tuesday, amid Beijing’s outrage over thearrest of a senior technology executive.
The International Crisis Group said it was aware of reports of thedetention of Michael Kovrig, a Chinese-speaking expert who served as aCanadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations.
“We are doing everything possible to secure additional information onMichael’s whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release,” the thinktank said in a statement.
Kovrig went to work last year for the International Crisis Group, which isknown for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts.
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The arrest comes days after the chief financial officer of China’s globaltelecommunications giant Huawei was arrested in Canada and facesextradition to the United States, triggering a strong protest by Beijing,which called for her immediate release.
Meng Wanzhou’s detention comes after American authorities reportedlylaunched an investigation into suspected Iran sanctions by Huawei, whichwas already under scrutiny by US intelligence officials, who deemed thecompany a national security threat.
