There are potentially huge, positive implications in the resolution of the three-year stalemate between China and the United States over the detention in Canada of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. She was released and returned to China after admitting some wrongdoing in her management of the company.
Initially, Beijing claimed Meng’s arrest was totally politically motivated; it was a blow against Huawei for its 5G global ambitions. Thus, it reacted by arresting two Canadian citizens, demanding Meng’s release, and refusing to discuss the accusation.
By confessing at least to misconduct, Meng acknowledged the arrest was not political, and it had actual legal basis. In return for the admission, the US gave up on sentencing Meng for something more severe or deporting her to America.
The situation stalled for three years because Beijing wanted Meng free without “a confession” that would de facto nail China’s general responsibility for some crime or misconduct. It was clear from the beginning that Meng didn’t act on her own but on behalf of the state. If there were no admission of wrongdoing, the case would have been resolved three years ago, as soon as China arrested Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in hopes of forcing Canada’s hand.
Of course, Beijing will spin the story differently, as a success of the Motherland, and in diplomatic solutions, you always want to save the other’s face. But the reality is that in those three years Beijing learned that it could not dismiss the international judicial system as a mere executive arm of political will.
Of course, also, it’s not in anybody’s interest to overinterpret the result one way or another. Some people in Beijing will not be happy with a legal solution that potentially subjects other Chinese citizens to similar judicial proceedings, as some in America, pushing for a heavy sentence for Meng, won’t be satisfied either. But the compromise perhaps could be a way forward in different areas.
For Beijing, the “judiciary” is also political, and in this case, Beijing accepted the rules of the American game. In return, the US chose leniency. Will this also be the case in some other areas in the future? The medium- and long-term consequences of all this are unclear, but some rethinking is afoot in Beijing.
Beijing has a strict responsibility system, and some may fear punishment because they were wrong in suggesting a tough stand on Huawei. Wrong evaluations are part of any political system, and this should be punished, but it is essential to learn from past mistakes and see who had conversely suggested the right path against the current trends.
Without stalling for three years on Meng, things might have been very different for China. This is a crucial consideration in steering the country in the right direction in the future.
the US arbitrarily detained and tortured meng wz for 3 years to get a “confession” – now if that aint modern day witch hunt then what is ???
“She was released and returned to China after admitting some wrongdoing in her management of the company.” – her only “wrongdoing” is to trust a british bank with a dark history in funding british opium trades that killed an estimated 50 million chinese ppl over 100 years …
“Initially, Beijing claimed Meng’s arrest was totally politically motivated; it was a blow against Huawei for its 5G global ambitions. Thus, it reacted by arresting two Canadian citizens, demanding Meng’s release, and refusing to discuss the accusation.” – any intelligent or rational person would know this IS an american political persecution – adter all why would HSBC clandestinely transfer huawei fund through the US which it really had no reason to ??? clearly some black hands are at work behind the scenes – remember what happened to japan’s toshiba and france’s alstom ??? about the 2 michaels, china knows exactly who are the spies operating in its territory and if canada wanna protect their agents, it should have acted with much greater care and responsibility … of all things it was canada who has forced the hand to china to partake in this rather childish “hostage diplomacy” …
“By confessing at least to misconduct, Meng acknowledged the arrest was not political, and it had actual legal basis.” – what a fantastic divination, even a layman would know meng’s “confession” was obtained under duress and torture and the legal basis, what legal basis here ??? china and iran are sovereign countries just like italy and germany and all transactions were done legally outside the US, a superpower which has imposed unilateral, illegal sanctions against both iran and huawei in clear violation of international laws … furthermore why did HSBC tried so hard to hide and lie about the evidence that meng-huawei had not misinformed HSBC about the relationship between huawei and skycom ???
“Of course, Beijing will spin the story differently, as a success of the Motherland, and in diplomatic solutions, you always want to save the other’s face. But the reality is that in those three years Beijing learned that it could not dismiss the international judicial system as a mere executive arm of political will.” – fyi mr Francesco Sisci beijing neednt have to spin the story at all because the story was spun much better by the western propaganda medias … with regard to “international judicial system”, wonder what exactly mr sicsi was referring to, the ICC which was sanctioned by the US of A ??? even the canadian judge was questioning the very validity of the case – perhaps the author hasnt been reading the news lately … ultimately the event turns out to be a great success by the chinese who stood firm on the ground of simple principle of not submitting to threats, blackmails and common decency, denying these facts strikes of disingenuity …
“For Beijing, the “judiciary” is also political, and in this case, Beijing accepted the rules of the American game. In return, the US chose leniency.” – apologising for the US is not going to change the fact that the western “judiciary” systems are very much a political arm of western imperialists – just remember julian assange was tricked by swedens abuse of judicial process and he is still being tortured by british “judiciary” system in belmarsh prison … “the US chose leniency” – trying to spin the US as a benevolent power ??? you got to be kidding, sir, go tell that to the family including 7 kids killed by US drone strike in kabul recently besides the millions being sanctioned-tortured to slow and painful deaths by the american regime; cuba, palestinians, VZers, iranians, NKers etc etc …
the US may try to spin the story as a win but in the eyes of the world, the US as well as canada have totally lost their moral high ground, if ever theres one in the first place …
what a twisted, disappointing piece by some one whos suppose to know better …
Know better? You are mistaken if you actually consider Francesco an authoritative source, or these screeds to be anything other than his open letter coping mechanism, wherein fever dreams of eternal American hegemony are perpetually rationalized ex post facto, all while the real world we all live in slips further from his mental grasp.
FS used to quite rational, objective and truthful when he wrote about china – sadly today his writing on china is so full of innuendo, twisted facts and slurs – wonder if hes still retained as a “professor” in some chinese university …
Plea bargaining is one of the more obnoxious practices in the US justice system. The prosecuter gets hold of a person and holds him in pre-trial prison, often accusing him of more than really happened and keeping him incarcerated until he confesses, often to more than he really did wrong. Even innocent people are often convicted in these circumstances.
Meng was held in very comfortable circumstances but still had to reach an agreement with the US justice system. Of course that was made easier by the Canadian judge saying it was a very strange case. And now that she is home she can say that the agreement with the prosecution was nonsense but so was the accusation.
In the mean time the two Canadian spies have received a Welcome Home tweet from their employer the Canadian Secret Intelligence Service.
Trump had already said Meng’s case was negotiable.
And it is a negotiated settlement as demonstrated.
Put it another way. If Meng somehow had not survived during her house arrest, she would be considered a martyr in China. And the US will find a hostle Chinese population in years to come. The West can disregard the feelings of the Chinese. The MSM is still in firm hands.
Good luck.
It’s China’s having admitted to characteristically-Chinese hostage diplomacy which is at issue here and you don’t address it.
it’s the first defeat of American long-arm legal overreach. US should realize their domestic laws don’t have universal jurisdiction over the entire world.