Transcript of Chinese Ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye's Press Conference with Chinese and Foreign Media

卢大使：女士们，先生们，各位媒体朋友们，大家好！很高兴在使馆接待大家。我每年都有在年底或者年初同加拿大媒体界朋友聚会的传统。2017年年底的聚会是在我的官邸，我们就一系列问题进行了交流。2018年年底我也想跟大家见面。但是12月1日发生了华为公司高管孟晚舟女士被加方扣押的事件，我就集中精力在处理这件事，顾不上与大家聚会。后来又发生了一些事，大家精力也都集中在那些事上，使馆也在媒体上发表过一些表态。今天我们终于有机会坐在一起，相信大家有很多问题要向我提问。

　　今天正好也是一个机会，向大家推荐新任中国驻加使馆新闻参赞和发言人张海涛先生。杨云东参赞已在加工作5年多，即将离任。他在这5年多的时间里工作非常勤奋、敬业，同媒体界的朋友结下了很好的友谊和合作关系。我相信张海涛参赞也会继续同大家密切交往，开展合作，也希望媒体界的朋友们继续给予他支持。现在请大家提问。

Ambassador LU Shaye: Ladies and gentlemen, members of the media, good afternoon. It's my pleasure to host all of you today at the Chinese Embassy in Canada. It seems to be an annual tradition for me to meet with the Canadian media at the beginning or the end of each year. I remember last time we met at the end of 2017 at my residence. We exchanged views on a wide range of issues. I originally intended to meet with all of you at some time in 2018, but as we all know, on December 1 there was the detention of Ms. Meng Wanzhou. I have been very busy and preoccupied with handling this issue. So it has been delayed. Following her detention, there have been other issues as well as new developments. As you can see, Chinese Embassy has released statements on these issues on our website. Today, I am glad that we have the opportunity to meet with each other in person and I am sure that you must have lots of questions to ask.

Today, it is also a good opportunity for me to introduce to you a new member of our team. Mr. Zhang Haitao, Counsellor and spokesperson of Chinese Embassy. His predecessor Mr. Yang Yundong, who has been working here diligently for the past 5 years and maintaining good working relationships with Canadian media. Mr. Yang is leaving Canada soon. I believe Mr. Zhang will continue to carry out frequent exchanges and cooperation with you. We look forward to your support. Now I will open the floor to questions.

　　《多伦多星报》：我希望了解，在孟晚舟女士被拘押事件上中国为什么没有将反对声音主要指向美国？是美国指控孟女士涉嫌欺诈。加政府表示加必须遵守《加美引渡条约》，中国却为什么相信加总理对法院可以施加影响？

　　卢大使：对于加拿大在美国的要求之下扣押孟晚舟女士，我们不仅向加方提出交涉，也向美方提出了交涉，不存在矛头主要指向谁的问题。你有这个感觉可能是因为孟晚舟女士现在被扣押在加而不是美。至于有人说中方认为特鲁多总理或加拿大政府对加法院有影响力，这不是中方说的，这是加拿大的法律以及《加美引渡条约》有关条款显示出来的程序。毕竟现在加拿大是由自由党政府执政，作为一起外交事件，中国政府只能找一个主权国家的政府进行交涉。

Toronto Star: Ambassador, I would like to know why has China not directed its main objections to the arrest of Ms. Meng Wanzhou at the United States, which is the country charging Ms. Meng abroad? Does China believe that the Canadian Prime Minister has any influence over the Canadian court when the Canadian government says it must follow the extradition treaty between Canada and the U.S.?

Ambassador LU Shaye: Based on the U.S. request to Canada on the arrest of Ms. Meng, we not only lodged representations with the Canadian side, but also with the U.S. side. There is no issue of who do we lodged the representations mainly with. Maybe you feel this way is because that Ms. Meng now is currently detained in Canada, not in the U.S.. As for your second question about the belief by some Chinese that the Canadian Prime Minister and the Canadian government have influence on Canadian court, this is not a statement made by the Chinese side. It is actually implied and indicated by relevant Canadian laws and the extradition treaty between Canada and the U.S.. After all, Canada is currently run by Liberal Government. As the government of Canada, it is of course the main channel of our communication.