Canada judge grants bail to Huawei Technologies CFO in US extradition case

World Today

In this courtroom sketch by Jane Wolsak and released to AFP by the artist, Meng Wanzhou (L), Huawei’s chief financial officer, speaks with lawyer David Martin in the courtroom in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 10, 2018. – Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer, faces US fraud charges related to alleged sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, and has been awaiting a Canadian court’s bail decision. (Photo by Jane Wolsak / Jane Wolsak / AFP)

A Canadian judge is setting a string of conditions on a top Chinese executive facing possible extradition to the U.S. while releasing her on 10 million Canadian-dollar ($7.5 million) bail.

Meng Wanzhou is required her to wear an ankle bracelet, surrender her passports, stay in Vancouver and its suburbs and confine herself to one of her two Vancouver homes from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

CGTN’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports.

Statement from Huawei on Release or Meng Wanzhou

Statement from Huawei on Release or Meng Wanzhou

More from the Associated Press

The lawyer for a top executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei says his team worked through the night to make changes to its bail plan for Meng Wanzhou to help satisfy concerns that have been raised about her release.

David Martin says they contacted four potential sources to offer sureties for Huawei’s chief financial officer and prepared affidavits after the judge and a federal prosecutor questioned whether Meng’s husband would be a suitable person to ensure she complies with any bail conditions.

Martin says one person who is proposed to offer a financial guarantee is a realtor who met Meng in 2009 and sold two properties to the couple.

The man has pledged his home, valued at $1.8 million Canadian (US$1.3 million), and says he understands he would lose it if Meng violated the conditions of her release.

Martin also read from the affidavit of another man who says he worked at Huawei in China in the mid-1990s and got to know Meng on a personal level.

He is vouching for Meng’s character to comply with any conditions imposed by the B.C. Supreme Court and has pledged $500,000 Canadian (US$373,000) from the equity on his home in Vancouver, which is valued at $1.4 million Canadian ($1 million).

Justice William Ehrcke questioned whether Liu Xiaozong could provide a surety because he is on a six-month visitor’s visa to Canada and the form to provide the financial guarantee says it must be provided by a resident of British Columbia.

The U.S. wants Meng to face allegations of fraud as it says Huawei used unofficial subsidiary Skycom to do business with Iranian telecommunications companies between 2009 and 2014 in violation of sanctions. Meng has denied the allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited for face charges in the United States.


Jeff Moon discusses Meng Wanzhou’s arrest

CGTN’s Mike Walter spoke with Jeff Moon an international trade and government affairs consultant about Meng WanZhou’s arrest


Liu Chunsheng discusses Meng Wanzhou’s arrest

CGTN’s Mike Walter spoke Liu Chunsheng an associate professor from the Central University of Finance and Economics on Meng Wanzhou’s arrest.