Asia

Beijing Says Won't Look Indifferently at Persecution of Chinese Citizens Abroad

BEIJING (Sputnik) - China is not going to sit idly and watch the violation of the legal rights of the country's citizens abroad, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.
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The minister's statement was made amid the scandal around the arrest of the chief financial officer of Chinese electronics giant Huawei in Canada at the request of the United States.

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"We constantly worry about the safety and well-being of each of our compatriots abroad. The Chinese side is not going to sit and watch indifferently at harassment against Chinese citizens and violation of their legal rights," Wang said.

He stressed that China would defend the rights and interests of its citizens abroad by any means.

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, daughter of the company's founder Ren Zhenfei, was arrested on December 1 in Vancouver to be handed over to the United States where she is suspected of fraudulent activities to bypass US sanctions on Iran.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry protested to both Canada and the United States. Meng Wanzhou pleaded not guilty to charges against her and promised to challenge them in a US court if a decision was made to extradite her to the United States.

Huawei has also previously faced suspicions in the United States and several other countries that its equipment could be used by China for spying. The company has rejected the allegations.

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