Huawei executive extradition hearing moves ahead

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Canada announced Friday the extradition hearing of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou can proceed.

The United States asked Canada detain and extradite the giant Chinese tech senior executive, where she is wanted to face charges of fraud, including contravening American sanctions against Iran.

“Today, Department of Justice Canada officials issued an authority to proceed, formally commencing an extradition process in the case of Ms. Meng Wanzhou,” the department said in a statement Friday.

The Chinese government reacted with anger when Meng was detained at a Vancouver airport where she was waiting for a connecting flight en route from Hong Kong to Mexico last December.

The arrest plunged China and Canada into a dispute that has seen several Canadians detained in China, the arrests widely thought to be retribution for Meng’s detention.

She was realized on $10 million bail and has been residing in her Vancouver home.

The green light on the extradition hearing means the case will move forward March 5 when Meng is to appear in British Columbia Supreme Court.

The commencement of the court case does not automatically guarantee that Meng will be turned over the U.S. authorities, since such extradition hearings can drag on for years, with many appeals being filed.