China said on Monday the espionage cases brought against two Canadian citizens in the country are unrelated to the ongoing extradition case in Canada against Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou and repeated calls for her release.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks during a daily briefing.

He also said that it was absurd for Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to call China's arrests of the two Canadians "arbitrary detention."

"We have an independent judicial system which will lawfully move forward with the indictments against them while guaranteeing their rights are protected," said Zhao.

"If you want to ask about 'arbitrary detention,' go and ask Canada about it," he added.

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were formally indicted by the procuratorates in Beijing and Dandong, northeast China's Liaoning Province, respectively on Friday. The charges brought against them were both related to espionage.

Zhao said later that day the criminal prosecution against them was lawful.

When asked about China's refusal to let Canadian officials visit the two, Zhao said on Monday that it was due to coronavirus concerns that the authorities had to defer the visit.