Eight Canadians out of 13 were subsequently released.

(Representational)Ottawa: Thirteen Canadians have been detained in China following arrest on December 1 of a senior executive from Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei, Ottawa said Thursday, with eight subsequently released.Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Guillaume Berube confirmed detentions to AFP, adding figures excluded Hong Kong.The thirteen include former diplomat Michael Kovrig and consultant Michael Spavor, arrested on December 10, for activities said to threaten national security, as well as Sarah McIver, who was subsequently freed and returned to Canada.There are approximately 200 Canadians overall who have been detained in China for a variety of alleged infractions and continue to face ongoing legal proceedings, and number has remained relatively stable in recent years.By way of comparison, there are almost 900 Canadians in a similar situation in US.Some observers believe detentions of Kovrig, who works for International Crisis Group, and Spavor, who is frequently consulted on matters linked to North Korea, were retaliatory actions following arrest in Vancouver of Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition to United States.Washington has accused her of fraud for helping evade US sanctions against Iran.

She was later released on bail pending her extradition hearing.Backed by US and several European countries, Canada's foreign minister Chrystia Freeland has repeated called for immediate release of Kovrig and Spavor, whose arrests Ottawa has termed arbitrary.(Except for headline, this story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)