The Chinese government says it has taken former Calgarian, Michael Spavor, into custody on suspicion of harming national security and Global Affairs Canada says it working to determine his whereabouts.
Spavor is the second Canadian to be detained in China following the Dec. 1 arrest in Vancouver of Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou. Wanzhou was held at the request of the United States for possible extradition and was released Tuesday on $10-million bail.
On Tuesday, Canadian officials learned that former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig was being detained and late Wednesday, a Chinese government news website confirmed that local authorities had Spavor in custody.
Spavor studied at the University of Calgary and lives in China. He was expected to arrive in South Korea’s capital this week but never showed up.
He has worked as a tour guide in North Korea and helped arrange trips to the country, including basketball star Denis Rodman’s visit to meet Kim-Jung Un, in 2013.
CTV Calgary reached out to Global Affairs Canada about Spavor’s arrest and in a statement, the agency said, it is aware that Spavor is missing in China.
Officials say they have been ‘unable to make contact since he let us know he was being questioned by Chinese authorities' and that they are 'working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts.'
Canadians are being cautioned by federal officials about travelling to China and to continue to 'exercise a high degree of caution,' if visiting the country.
The travel risk level has not changed but the federal government has instructed its personnel in the country to take extra precautions.
"We have asked our staff to be prudent,” a senior Canadian official told reporters on background Wednesday afternoon.
Canada has registered its concerns with Chinese authorities and has asked China for additional security around its embassy.
(With files from Rachel Aiello, Ottawa News Bureau Online Producer)
