VANCOUVER, British Columbia Lawyers for a senior executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei say her extradition hearing should be ended because comments by U.S. President Donald Trump reduce her to a pawn in a political-economic contest.
Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huaweis founder, at Vancouvers airport in late 2018. The U.S. wants her extradited to face fraud charges. Her arrest infuriated Beijing, which sees her case as a political move designed to prevent Chinas rise.
The U.S. accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company called Skycom to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It says Meng committed fraud by misleading the HSBC bank about the companys business dealings in Iran.
In recent court filings Mengs lawyers argue the United States is using the extradition to secure a trade advantage and say that is undermining the integrity of Canadas judicial proceedings. They say the foundation of the judicial process in Canada has been destroyed and request a stay of proceedings for abuse of process.
The filings point to an interview with Trump two weeks after Mengs arrest in which he was asked if he would become involved in the case if he thought it would secure a trade deal with China.
I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary, Trump said.
Mengs lawyers say the U.S. isnt interested in justice.
The president and his administration have no real interest in the merits of the criminal proceeding … but are intent on using her chase as a bargaining chip in a trade dispute, the filings say.
A key part of the U.S. case against Meng deals with a Aug. 22, 2013, meeting at a Hong Kong restaurant at which she is accused of using a PowerPoint presentation to give misleading information to HSBC executives about Huaweis relationship with Skycom.
In May, Meng failed in a bid to end the extradition process when a Canadian judge ruled the allegations against her could constitute a crime in Canada as well.
Mengs arrest has soured relations between Canada and China. In apparent retaliation, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor. China has also placed restrictions on various Canadian exports to China, including canola oil seed. China also handed a death sentence to a convicted Canadian drug smuggler in a sudden retrial.
Meng remains free on bail in Vancouver.
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