H. Res. 521 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

October 15, 2019. 

Whereas, on December 1, 2018, Canadian authorities detained Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou based on an arrest warrant issued 

pursuant to a request made by the United States under 

the Extradition Treaty Between the United States of 

America and Canada, signed at Washington December 3, 

1971; 

Whereas, on January 24, 2019, the United States filed a superseding indictment in the United States District Court 

for the Eastern District of New York against Huawei 

Technologies Co., Ltd. (‘‘Huawei’’), Huawei Device USA 

Inc., Skycom Tech Co. Ltd. (‘‘Skycom’’), and Meng 

Wanzhou; 

Whereas the January 24, 2019, indictment charges two 

counts of bank fraud, two counts of conspiracy to commit 

bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire 

fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy 

to defraud the United States, two counts of conspiracy to 

violate the International Emergency Economic Powers 

Act, two counts of violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice; 
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Whereas the January 24, 2019, indictment charges that 

‘‘Huawei operated Skycom as an unofficial subsidiary to 

obtain otherwise prohibited U.S.-origin goods, technology, 

and services, including banking services, for Huawei’s 

Iran-based business while concealing the link to Huawei’’; 

Whereas the United States Government is seeking the extradition of Meng Wanzhou; 

Whereas Canadian authorities granted Meng Wanzhou access 

to Chinese consular officials, and she was able to engage 

a lawyer of her choice and was released on bail pending 

the outcome of the extradition hearing; 

Whereas the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly 

urged Canada ‘‘to immediately release’’ Meng Wanzhou 

and threatened that otherwise ‘‘it will definitely have 

grave consequences, and [Canada] will have to bear the 

full responsibility for it’’; 

Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China 

detained Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian executive Michael Spavor on December 10, 2018, in 

apparent retaliation for the arrest of Meng Wanzhou; 

Whereas Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig have faced 

harsh conditions while in detention that include limited 

consular access, no access to a lawyer, being unable to 

turn off the lights at night, and lengthy interrogations, 

including in the case of Mr. Kovrig, about his official activities during his previous tenure as an accredited diplomat in the People’s Republic of China, potentially in 

violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, done at Vienna April 18, 1961; 

Whereas, on January 14, 2019, a third Canadian, Robert 

Schellenberg, in Chinese custody for drug smuggling, had 
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his case reviewed and his 15-year sentence changed to 

the death penalty; 

Whereas the Department of State’s Country Report on 

Human Rights Practices for 2018 stated that 

‘‘[a]rbitrary arrest and detention remained serious problems’’ in China and that Chinese judges ‘‘regularly received political guidance on pending cases, including instructions on how to rule, from both the government and 

the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], particularly in politically sensitive cases’’; and 

Whereas while neither Michael Kovrig nor Michael Spavor 

has been formally charged with any crime under Chinese 

law, the Government of the People’s Republic of China 

formally arrested them on May 6, 2019, following their 

detention on December 10, 2018: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) commends the Government of Canada for upholding the rule of law and complying with its international legal obligations, including those pursuant to 

the Extradition Treaty Between the United States of 

America and Canada, signed at Washington December 

3, 1971; 

(2) commends the Government of Canada for providing consular access and due process for Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou; 

(3) expresses concern over the Government of the 

People’s Republic of China’s apparent arbitrary detention and abusive treatment of Canadian nationals Mi-
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chael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation 

for the Government of Canada’s detention of Meng 

Wanzhou; and 

(4) joins the Government of Canada in calling for 

the immediate release of Michael Spavor and Michael 

Kovrig and for due process for Canadian national Robert 

Schellenberg. 

Attest: 

Clerk.