OTTAWA—The lawyer for Michael Spavor says his client has reached a settlement with the federal government over his three−year detention in China.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau said in a statement that the country “condemns China’s conviction and sentencing of Michael Spavor in the strongest possible terms.”

Commentary China has sentenced Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to 11 years in prison on espionage charges, more than two years after the Canadian was first detained, along with fellow Canadian Michael Kovrig.

(Left) Michael Spavor, director of Paektu Cultural Exchange, talks during a Skype interview in Yanji, China, on March 2, 2017.

OTTAWA—Michael Spavor is thanking Canadians and the world for their support one week after his 1,020−day ordeal in Chinese prison came to an end.

He added that Canada is working with its allies, including the United States, to secure the release of both Spavor and fellow Canadian Michael Kovrig, though he refused to provide details.

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained in December 2018 in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on an extradition request from the United States.

Ambassador Dominic Barton was granted onsite virtual consular access to Michael Kovrig on Nov. 19 and Michael Spavor on Nov. 10, according a news release from Global Affairs. 

Canadian businessman Michael Spavor with Kim Jong Un in 2013.

Spavor and Michael Kovrig.

Kovrig and Michael Spavor by China.

Hillman also noted her role in securing the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from Chinese custody in September 2021.

Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

However, in the aftermath of Canada arresting Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition request in December 2018, China changed Schellenberg's sentence to a death sentence, and also detained Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor

In apparent retaliation, Beijing arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days.

China in apparent retaliation arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for over 1,000 days.

Diplomatic relations between the countries have been deteriorating since 2018, when China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver.

The bans were eventually lifted in 2022 following the release of Meng in 2021, with China also releasing Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig after detaining them in apparent retaliation for over 1,000 days.

Freeland noted that she was Canada’s foreign minister when China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days in apparent retaliation after Canada executed a U.S. extradition warrant in late 2018 for Huawei

Beijing-Ottawa relations began to deteriorate in 2018, when China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver, following a U.S. extradition request

The Chinese Communist Party has previously been accused of engaging in hostage diplomacy, most notably in the case of two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, whom Beijing released in September 2021 after they had been detained for nearly three

Diplomatic relations between the countries had been deteriorating since 2018, when China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on a U.S.

Besides trade tensions, diplomatic relations have also been deteriorating since 2018, following China’s arbitrary detention of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver

In apparent response to Canada executing a U.S. extradition warrant for the Huawei executive, who was wanted for fraud, China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for over 1,000 days.

Beijing-Ottawa relations began to deteriorate in 2018, when China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver, following a U.S. extradition request

Diplomatic relations between the countries have been strained since 2018, when Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada and China responded by detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

China's ruling Chinese Communist Party detained two Canadians, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, on espionage charges in 2018.

Trudeau had pursued stronger ties with China, including a free-trade deal, but these efforts stopped after China detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

China responded by arbitrarily detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor and keeping them in custody for more than 1,000 days.

Kovrig and fellow Canadian Michael Spavor were detained for over 1,000 days in China in apparent retaliation for Canada executing a U.S. extradition warrant against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in late 2018.