Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, dubbed 'the Michaels' by Canadian press, were freed after more than 1,000 days in Chinese custody, after the US effectively dropped charges against Huawei heiress Meng Wanzhou. The men were arrested in China in December 2018, shortly after Canada arrested Meng on a U.S. extradition request. In June 2020, China formally charged Kovrig and Spavor, more than 18 months after their arrests. An Air China airplane carrying Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou arrives at Shenzhen Baoan International Airport in Shenzhen. The indictment came amid a broader Trump administration crackdown against Huawei over U.S. government concerns that the company´s products could facilitate Chinese spying.

Source: The Nation September 25, 2021 15:56 UTC