Two Canadians detained in China begin their trials

The trial for Canadian businessman Michael Spavor is underway in China. Spavor and fellow Canadian Michael Kovrig have been in custody for more than two years on spying charges. Their arrests are widely seen as retribution for Canada’s detention of Meng Wanzhou, chief executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei. Her arrest by Canada was made at the request of the US. Spavor’s hearing in Dandong, China, on Friday ended without a verdict and it could be years before he gets one. Kovrig will go through a similar trial on Monday. The whole process has been shrouded in secrecy, as The World’s Sarah Birnbaum reports.

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