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China demands Huawei CFO's release ahead of Canadian court's ruling on her extradition to the US

WION Web Team
NEW DELHIUpdated: May 27, 2020, 08:53 AM IST
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File photo of Meng Wanzhou. Photograph:(Reuters)

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The US has banned using Huawei products and technology in its telecom network -- citing safety concerns.

The Central government of the People's Republic of China has asked the Canadian government to release Meng Wanzhou, telecom company Huawei's chief financial officer, ahead of a court ruling on her extradition to the US on Wednesday.

Meng, 48, who is deputy chair of the Chinese company's board and daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei, was detained in Vancouver in December 2018 on the US's charges of bank fraud.

Meng has been on $10-million bail and living in one of her two multimillion-dollar Vancouver mansions since December 2018.

American investigators allege she misrepresented Huawei's relationship with a subsidiary called Skycom during a PowerPoint presentation she gave to HSBC in Hong Kong in 2013, putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions on Iran.

Meng and Huawei have repeatedly denied the charges, and have argued she is a political pawn caught in the power struggle between Beijing and Washington.

The US has banned using Huawei products and technology in its telecom network -- citing safety concerns.

Tech giant Huawei which was once considered a ticket to China's global supremacy has now become its biggest liability.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, the world's opinion regarding the brand was divided. It was being considered as the biggest player while the world was preparing for the 5G network.

The United States tried very hard to block it and to keep it away from lucrative international contracts but had limited success.

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also having second thoughts about the company. If these nations go forward and ban Huawei, then there is a huge possibility that others might follow their footsteps.

It appears that the company's rocky path is about to get tougher in the difficult times that lie ahead.

(With inputs from agencies)