INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightEPAImage caption
Meng Wanzhou was detained while transferring between flights in Vancouver
The daughter of the founder of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has been arrested in Canada and faces extradition to the United States.Meng
Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and deputy chair, was arrested in Vancouver on 1 December.Details of the arrest have not been
released but the US has been investigating Huawei over possible violation of sanctions against Iran.China's embassy in Canada protested at
the arrest and demanded her release.Huawei said it had little information about the charges and was "not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms
Meng".The arrest comes at a sensitive time for US-China relations
The nations are engaged in a trade war that has seen both impose duties of billions of dollars on one another's goods.The arrest will not
help the 90-day tariff truce the nations agreed after President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met at the G20.What has
Canada said about the arrestCanada's ministry of justice confirmed the date and place of Ms Meng's arrest and added: "She is sought for
extradition by the United States, and a bail hearing has been set for Friday."It said it could not say more as Ms Meng had sought a ban on
the publication of details and this had been ordered by the courts.A spokesman for the US justice department in the Eastern District of New
York - which Huawei said had brought the charges - declined to comment.What could be behind itUS media have reported that Huawei is under
investigation for potential violations of US sanctions against Iran.Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Huawei is
one of the largest telecommunications equipment and services providers in the world
One report in the New York Times said
the US commerce and treasury departments had subpoenaed the firm over suspected violation of sanctions against both Iran and North Korea.US
lawmakers have repeatedly accused the company of being a threat to US national security, arguing that its technology could be used for
spying by the Chinese government
Reacting to the arrest, US Senator Ben Sasse told Associated Press that China was aggressively engaged in undermining US national security
interests, often "using private sector entities"."Americans are grateful that our Canadian partners have arrested the chief financial
officer," he added.How have China and Huawei respondedHuawei said Ms Meng, the daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, was detained while
transferring between flights.In a statement, it said it had complied with "all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including
applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, US and EU."The company believes the Canadian and US legal systems
will ultimately reach a just conclusion."A statement from the Chinese embassy in Canada was far angrier.It said that Canada, at the request
of the US, had arrested a Chinese citizen "not violating any American or Canadian law"."The Chinese side has lodged stern representations
with the US and Canadian side, and urged them to immediately correct the wrongdoing and restore the personal freedom of Ms Meng Wanzhou."Why
is Huawei a concern to the WestThe company is one of the largest telecommunications equipment and services providers in the world, recently
passing Apple to become the second-biggest smartphone maker after Samsung.Some Western governments fear Beijing will gain access to
fifth-generation (5G) mobile and other communications networks through Huawei and expand its spying ability, although the firm insists there
is no government control.Image copyrightReutersImage caption
Huawei offices in New Zealand, one of the nations citing
national security concerns
Security concerns recently led BT to bar Huawei equipment from the heart of the 5G network it is
rolling out in the UK.New Zealand has blocked Huawei equipment over national security concerns, after Australia imposed a similar ban on
both Huawei and fellow communications firm ZTE
The US has brought a number of legal cases against Chinese technology firms, with accusations such as cyber-security theft and violations of
Iran sanctions.Earlier this year, it barred US companies from exporting to ZTE, effectively shutting down the firm
The US later replaced the ban with a fine and governance changes.The US has also restricted US firms from selling parts to Chinese chipmaker
Fujian Jinhua.What are the Iran sanctionsDonald Trump last month reinstated all the US sanctions on Iran that had been removed under a 2015
nuclear deal.Mr Trump had been fiercely opposed to the deal, which saw Iran limit its controversial nuclear activities in exchange for
sanctions relief.The re-imposed sanctions hit oil exports, shipping and banks - indeed all core parts of Iran's economy.Although there are
some waivers, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said the US will "aggressively" target any firm or organisation "evading our
