China’s vice foreign minister has summoned the U.S. ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, in a protest over the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, and said it will take “further action” if needed.
Meng was arrested in Vancouver Dec. 1 on the orders of U.S. authorities for allegedly violating American sanctions on selling technology to Iran.
Le Yucheng, the Chinese official, said U.S. actions have violated the “legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and are extremely bad in nature,” according to a posting on the foreign ministry’s website. “China will take further action based on the U.S. actions.”
The request came a day after Canada’s ambassador to China was also summoned to the ministry.
Meng’s arrest, on allegations that she committed fraud to sidestep sanctions against Iran, has become a flashpoint in trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
The U.S. Friday began a case against Huawei in a Vancouver courtroom, alleging that Meng had hidden ties between Huawei and a company called Skycom that did business in Iran, said a lawyer representing Canada during the court hearing.
Canada is presenting the case on behalf of the U.S., which wants to extradite Meng.
Meng, daughter of Huawei’s founder, is spent the weekend in jail after bail was not decided. The case will continue on Monday.
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