VANCOUVER, British Columbia — When the Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested by the Canadian authorities in the Vancouver airport while changing flights, she suddenly became one of the world’s most famous detainees.

Her December arrest — made at the United States’ request for her extradition on fraud charges — provoked a storm of recriminations from China, landed Ms. Meng in legal limbo, and put Canada in the middle of a fight between two world powers that are both rivals and trading partners.

Since then, relations between China and Canada have become increasingly strained, and China has arrested two Canadians, accusing them of espionage, and sentenced a third to death on a drug charge.

On Wednesday, the next chapter in Ms. Meng’s case opened with an extradition proceeding at the Supreme Court of British Columbia. A hearing was set for May 8 to discuss next steps in the case. Chief among them will be setting a date for an extradition hearing to decide whether she should be sent to face fraud charges in the United States.