Canada’s Ambassador to China Slammed for Offering Legal Arguments in Defence of Arrested Huawei Exec

News conference excluded Canadian mainstream media and is prompting concerns over political interference

Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum listens to a question following participation in a federal cabinet meeting in Sherbrooke, Que., on Jan. 16. The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson

TORONTO—Remarks by Canada’s ambassador to China stating that the Huawei executive arrested in Vancouver has a strong case to fight extradition to the United States have left many flabbergasted and are raising concerns over political interference in the judicial process.

In a room packed with Chinese-language media reporters in the Toronto area on Jan. 22, John McCallum outlined three arguments that Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou has in her favour.