HOSTAGES...

 Written by: Ashi Chaturvedi

Edited by: Yashi Shah

China's Hostage Diplomacy 

“We cannot allow political pressures or random arrests of Canadian citizens to influence the functioning of our justice system,” these are the words of the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. He made it clear that he won't free the Huawei Technologies Co. Executive Meng Wanzhou, even if the two Canadians remain in the jails of China. Canada arrested Ms. Wanzhou on the charge of breaking Iranian sanctions, on the warrant issued by the US. Following her arrest in Vancouver, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig got arrested in China on the charge of ‘spying’. This action of China, in just a few weeks of Ms. Wanzhou’s arrest, signified China's retaliation against Canada, which is popularly known as China's Hostage Diplomacy. 

China has refused to call it a ‘retaliatory act,’ but the pages of history are not torn apart from the book of arbitrary detention by China yet. In late 1952, during the Korean War, the People's Liberation Army demolished many aircraft of the American Army, while crossing the Yalu River. China captured 13 airmen of America and detained them for almost two years until they got indicted by Supreme People's Procuratorate for espionage in 1954. This judgment forced them to be captured in the Chinese justice system. This incident recurred in the Vietnam War. Chinese did these detentions on purpose to get recognition in the UN. Now in 2020, it is back with its old political diplomacy.

Besides Canada, Australia is also being targeted. BBC NEWS reported that Chinese-born Australian TV anchor Cheng Lei suddenly disappeared from screens and lost all contacts with family and friends. Her profile and interviews were cleaned from CGTN's website, where she used to work. The Australian government revealed that the 45-year-old journalist had been detained by Chinese authorities, held under “residential surveillance” in an unknown location. On this accusation, China announced that she was suspected of “criminal activity endangering national security.” Many critics see it as a revenge from Australia as it raised its voice for investigation against China on the ‘sudden’ spread of Covid-19. China has not declared what kind of “criminal Activity” it found against Ms. Lei yet.

Indeed the two Michaels will have their public lawyers in China’s court hearing, alike to those 13 airmen had and the conclusion is all known. Beijing's recourse to arbitrary confinement of foreign nationals as a means of extracting concessions will attract more adversaries as Canada is not going to bend on its knees. Bloomberg states “Of course, it doesn't sit well with anyone to yield to bullying and blackmail. The means chosen by China are indeed repugnant. However, resisting China's pressure is no guarantee that it will never be applied again in the future."