China formally arrests Canadian ex-diplomat, businessman: report

China has formally arrested two Canadians who have been detained for months on national security grounds, a Canadian newspaper reported on Thursday, in a case that has inflamed tensions between Ottawa and Beijing. A Canadian government source told The Globe and Mail that neither Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, nor Michael Spavor, a China-based businessman who organised trips to North Korea, have been formally charged with any crime.

“Canada strongly condemns their arbitrary arrest as we condemned their arbitrary detention on Dec. 10,” the Canadian foreign ministry said in a statement to the newspaper. Though no link has been officially made, the detention of Spavor and Kovrig is thought to be in retaliation for Canada’s December 1 detention on a US extradition request of Meng Wanzhou, a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei who is accused of violating Iran sanctions.

The men were first accused of activities that “endanger China’s security” -- a phrase often used by Beijing when alleging espionage. China later announced it suspected Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group think tank, of spying and stealing state secrets and alleged that Spavor had provided him with intelligence. Spying charges could expose them to tough prison sentences.