- Canada-China relations hit rock bottom
- CCP cracks down on entertainment business
- Second-largest port closed after Corona case
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The spectacular footage of the Ever Given accident in the Suez Canal is already one of the images of the year. Yet, according to the German economy, the Covid cases at Chinese ports have a much greater impact on global supply chains. Yesterday, another employee was hit. This time at China’s second-largest port, which immediately shut down operations as a result. Once again, delays are to be expected. Global logistics companies relying on “just in time” are facing yet another setback.
Tensions between China and Canada have reached a new high. Yesterday, a Chinese court sentenced Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to eleven years in prison. The day before, a death sentence against Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was upheld. The sentences have led to an outrage among Western diplomats and politicians. Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas criticized the ruling: “The trial of Michael Spavor was held behind closed doors and his consular rights were restricted in a manner contrary to international law.” Christiane Kühl reports on the background and how the verdicts are connected to the trial of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
It would be unthinkable for German newspapers to dedicate every second news piece to Angela Merkel – and to find only words of praise. The situation is different in China’s state media, on whose front pages Xi Jinping’s name is often omnipresent. This extensive coverage is further evidence of the immense cult of personality built around Xi. But on social media and among China’s younger generation, pop stars and actresses remain more popular. Ning Wang explains why the fall of pop idol Kris Wu is in the CCP’s best interests and the resulting consequences for Western brands advertising with China’s entertainment celebrities.
Nico Beckert
Feature
Harsh sentences for Canadians cause tension
Once again, a Canadian citizen has been given a harsh sentence in China. Yesterday, a court in Dandong, located on the border to North Korea, sentenced Michael Spavor, a businessman who has been held in custody since 2018, to 11 years in prison on charges of espionage. Just this Tuesday, the Shenyang appeals court upheld a death sentence handed down for drug trafficking against Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg in January 2019 (as reported by China.Table).
The timing of these verdicts is likely no coincidence. The trial over the US extradition of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, currently held under house arrest in Canada, is entering its decisive phase. The timing of Spavor’s arrest was already related to Meng’s case: Spavor, like former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, had been taken into custody in December 2018 shortly after the Huawei executive was detained in Vancouver. Both were charged with espionage in June 2020; Kovrig is still awaiting sentencing. Schellenberg was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 2018. That sentence was found to be too lax – conspicuously just after Meng’s arrest – and was commuted to a death sentence.
Longstanding tensions between China and Canada
The cases have strained relations between the two nations for years. Canada accuses Beijing of political motivation behind the “two Michael” cases and of attempts to influence Meng’s trial. Beijing, in turn, sees the latter as politically motivated: According to Beijing’s interpretation, Canada is acting under pressure from the USA. China has always rejected any connection between the trials against the Canadians and Meng’s arrest. The relationship between Beijing and Ottawa is likely to have reached a new low with this week’s verdicts.
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