According to the Associated Press, U.S. Vice President Harris held a telephone meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau on Monday (February 1), which was Harris’ first telephone conversation with foreign leaders since entering the White House.
In addition to the epidemic, climate and other conventional issues, the United States also mentioned two Canadian citizens suspected of endangering China’s national security – Kang Mingkai and Michael.
According to the minutes of the call released by Harris’ office, Harris threatened to “do everything possible to ensure that China released the two detained Canadian citizens”.
A U.S. official familiar with the call revealed to the Associated Press that Harris took the initiative to raise the topic during the call, which was thanked by Trudeau and Canadian officials.
It has to be mentioned that many American media directly described China’s detention of the two people as the “retaliation” of the Chinese government’s illegal arrest of Meng Wanzhou by Canada, but China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly stressed that the nature of the two things is different.
Hua Chunying, spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out again at the regular press conference on December 25 last year, “The relevant Chinese authorities detained Canadian citizens suspected of endangering China’s national security in accordance with the law, and Canada illegally detained Chinese corporate executives at the request of the United States, which is different in nature.”
Back to Harris and Biden’s call, the most recent U.S.-Canada issue, that is, Biden signed an executive order on his first day on power to suspend the “Keystone XL” project of the U.S.-Canada pipeline, and calling it “not in the national interest”.
However, the call minutes released by the offices of both sides did not mention the project, and the two should have avoided this “embarrassment” topic.
Plans for the “Archstone” pipeline project were first proposed in 2008.
In late 2015, former U.S. President Obama refused permission for the project, but soon after Trump took office, he decided to give the green light to the project and has been a supporter of the project.
Now, “Archstone” has been stopped by Biden.
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau is “disappointed” by the decision of the Biden administration.
Harris Trudeau also mentioned that the meeting between U.S. President Biden and Trudeau is scheduled for this month.
The Associated Press pointed out that Canada is the first country visited by the new president of the United States.
But what the Associated Press did not say was that Trump broke the rules in 2017 and made his first visit to the Middle East.
Due to the epidemic, it is not clear whether the meeting of the two heads of state will be held online or offline.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that on January 13, the Global and Mail of Canada entangled in the matter of Kang Mingkai and Michael at a regular press conference of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The media asked, “Meng Wanzhou applied to Canada for a relaxation of bail conditions.
When will China provide bail for Michael and Kang Mingkai?”
Zhao Lijian responded that on the first question, the nature of the Meng Wanzhou incident is very clear and clear, and it is a serious political event.
China once again urges the United States to immediately revoke the arrest warrant and extradition request of Ms. Meng Wanzhou, and urges Canada to immediately release Ms. Meng Wanzhou and let her return to China safely as soon as possible.
Zhao Lijian said that on the second question, there is a saying in China that “you must tie the bell person to unlock the bell”. Please tell your government and let them think about how to untie the bell.
