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Byers said he hopes that China actually uses the case as a means to “dial down” the temperature around Canada’s arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, and ensure that Schellenberg is not executed if found guilty.

Two other Canadians — former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor — were arrested recently and accused of endangering Chinese security, though China watchers say they were likely taken in a tit-for-tat over Meng’s arrest. A third Canadian was later also arrested, but is expected to be deported in what Canadian officials say is an unrelated matter.

Police arrested Meng in Vancouver at the behest of American authorities, who allege she was involved in a scheme to have Huawei circumvent U.S. sanctions against Iran.

It would not be surprising if he gets a harsh sentence

Little at this point is known about the latest Canadian detainee, or the exact nature of his alleged crime, with Canadian officials saying that privacy rules prevent them from divulging anything about his background.

“Global Affairs Canada has been following this case for several years and has been providing consular assistance to the Canadian citizen since they were first detained in Liaoning, China,” said spokesman Robert Walker. “We will continue to provide consular services to them and their family.”

But on Wednesday, the runsky.com website — run by the government of Liaoning province in northeastern China — reported that Dalian city’s intermediate court will hear an appeal in Schellenberg’s case Saturday afternoon.

Photo by Kyodo News, Masao Mizuno/AP

Referring to him as “another Canadian accused,” it said he is charged with smuggling a quantity of drugs so “huge” it would startle the public when made public.

One must “really admire the courage of this Canadian man to actually dare to smuggle drugs in China,” said the article. “We must know that Chinese criminal law has no sympathy for drug crimes.”

The Global Times, a branch of the Communist Party’s People’s Daily, picked up the story and noted that punishment under Chinese law for smuggling a kilogram or more of heroin or methamphetamine ranged from 15 years to execution. And an opinion piece on the case by the outlet Thursday applauded the Chinese courts for taking a tough stance on drug offences.

“China has not abolished the death penalty based on its own history and current conditions,” said the piece. “Chinese courts … won’t give the wrongdoer a way out simply because the criminal is a foreigner.”

Donald Clarke, a professor specializing in Chinese law at George Washington University Law School, said there’s nothing unusual about foreigners facing drug charges in China, and he does not know what might be happening behind the scenes.