Huawei Extradition Case: Canada's Chinese community voices support for Meng

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Meantime, Meng Wanzhou has drawn strong support from Vancouver's large Chinese community. Many members of that community packed a courtroom earlier this week to observe Meng's bail hearing. Many also expressed their opinions on a local radio show. CGTN's Hendrik Sybrandy reports from Vancouver.

Sunny Chan hosts an afternoon Cantonese dialect radio talk show in Vancouver. In his 40+ years in journalism, he's never seen an issue draw as much interest as the Meng Wanzhou case.

SUNNY CHAN AM 1320 RADIO HOST "In our Chinese community, in greater Vancouver, everybody, every Chinese talked about it. So we think it is a good topic to discuss."

It's what drew many local residents of Chinese background to the Vancouver courthouse this week. Many here, as well as Chan and most of his callers are angry about Meng's arrest and detention.

SUNNY CHAN AM 1320 RADIO HOST "She's not a serious criminal. She's just a suspect. Why Canada treat her in such ways."

One person referred to it as an ambush, her apprehension December 1st here at Vancouver International Airport, as she changed planes from Hong Kong on the way to Mexico. Many felt her subsequent 10-day detention only added insult to injury.

ADA YU VANCOUVER RESIDENT "We think Ms. Meng should be released immediately. We think it's a severe violation of China citizens' rights and interests."

Ada Yu said a woman of Meng's stature is hardly a flight risk.

ADA YU VANCOUVER RESIDENT "She's a great mother and she's a successful businesswoman. I don't think she would do that."

HENDRIK SYBRANDY VANCOUVER "Meng owns two homes in Vancouver, including this one, to which she's been ordered confined overnight. She's allowed to venture out during the daytime but security officers she's paying for must remain near her at all times."

Until now, Meng lived a very low-profile life in this neighborhood for a few weeks each summer. But most neighbors certainly knew of her position as Chief Financial Officer at Huawei Technologies.

"We are proud of Huawei. It's a big company."

Some see the incident as political - tied to the current trade dispute between the U.S. and China and say Canada should not be involved.

"It's not the Canadian's business. It's America's. Why should we do the dirty job for the Americans?"

Chan says Canada should have considered its interests first and he's hopeful the Meng case will see a timely resolution.

SUNNY CHAN AM 1320 RADIO HOST "I do think that it is only a bargaining chip the United States send to China. We think the coming two months maybe they can solve the problem."

After devoting three entire shows to the topic, Chan has moved on to other issues for the time being, in part to let his listeners process what's happened. But he's more than ready to take it up again because, he says, he and his audience have definitely not forgotten. Hendrik Sybrandy, CGTN, Vancouver.