Two others detained this month after arrest of Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou in Canada

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A third Canadian citizen has been detained in China, according to Canada’s foreign ministry, an arrest that threatens to escalate a protracted diplomatic feud between the two countries.

Two other Canadians were detained in China after the arrest of the senior Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada this month.

“Global Affairs Canada is aware of a Canadian citizen detained in China,” said a spokesperson for the ministry, which manages Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations. “Consular officials are providing assistance to the family.” Citing privacy legislation, the spokesperson did not give any further details about the arrest.

Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said on Wednesday that the latest incident was “a very separate case” from those of the former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, who were detained during the diplomatic quarrel triggered by Meng’s arrest.

“There are tens of thousands of Canadians that live, travel and work in China,” Trudeau said. He added that the new case “doesn’t seem to fit the pattern of facts on the previous two.

“Escalation and political posturing might be satisfactory in the short term to make yourself seem like you are stomping on the table and doing something significant, but it may not contribute to the outcome we all want.”

Huawei arrest may dash Canada's hopes for 'essential' trade deal with China Read more

China’s ministry of foreign affairs said on Wednesday it was not aware of the report. “I have not heard anything about the situation you have asked about,” said Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the ministry.

Canada’s ambassador to China, John McCallum, met Spavor on Monday, and had previously visited Kovrig.

Beijing has threatened Canada with “grave consequences” if Meng is not freed. Meng faces extradition to the US on charges linked to fraud and violations of US sanctions on Iran.

On Tuesday Canada’s embassy in China published a commemoration of Charter 08, a petition calling for democratic reform co-authored by the Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, on the social media site Weibo.

Liu, a veteran Chinese dissident, died last year while serving an 11-year prison sentence.

By Wednesday the post had been partially censored. The embassy wrote on Twitter: “We commemorated 10th anniversary of Nobel-laureate Liu Xiaobo’s Charter 08 on social media yesterday. 1300+ people shared views before comment section was shut down. Violation of article 35 (freedom of speech) of China’s own constitution?”