Huawei CFO returns to work after extradition drama

Meng Wanzhou, CFO of Chinese tech giant Huawei, returned to work at their headquarters in Shenzhen after almost three years fighting extradition to the U.S. in Canada

The CFO was detained in Vancouver in 2018 after a New York court issued an arrest warrant, alleging she tried to cover up attempts by Huawei-backed companies to sell equipment to Iran – in breach of U.S. sanctions.

The years-long extradition drama has been a source of tension between China and the U.S, with Chinese officials signaling the case needed to be dropped to end a diplomatic stalemate.

“Over the last three years, although we have struggled, we have overcome obstacles and our team has fought with more and more courage,” Meng told employees at her welcome celebrations in Shenzhen.

Meng’s return also saw the release of two Canadian men who were arrested in 2018 shortly after her detainment

Meng was allowed to return to China after reaching a deferred agreement with New York prosecutors, which saw her accept “responsibility for her principal role in perpetrating a scheme to defraud a global financial institution.”

The U.S. Justice Department said the agreement pertains only to Meng, and that a case is being prepared against Huawei which will soon proceed to trial.

The two Canadians, businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig, had been held in China for more than 1,000 days, after being accused of espionage.

Canada accused China of employing ‘hostage diplomacy’, by arresting the Canadian citizens as retaliation to Meng’s detainment.