Following the release of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who had been detained in Canada since December 2018 as part of a deal with the US, China also freed two Canadians who had been imprisoned for nearly three years.

Huawei’s chief financial officer (CFO) Meng Wanzhou was put in detention in Canada back in December 2018 and has been there since. On Friday her discharge was announced by the judge after the American department of justice agreed to cut her a deal. She was discharged in a case for extradition to the United States and has now left for China.

Recently the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that two Canadians, including a former diplomat, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who had been detained in China and were charged with espionage were released as well. This comes with Meng Wanzhou's release.

Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, appeared virtually before a Federal district court in Brooklyn, New York. In a statement, the US Justice Department stated she had "entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) and was arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud, and bank fraud and wire fraud."

“In entering into the deferred prosecution agreement, Meng has taken responsibility for her principal role in perpetrating a scheme to defraud a global financial institution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicole Boeckmann for the Eastern District of New York. “This Deferred Prosecution Agreement will lead to the end of the ongoing extradition proceedings in Canada, which otherwise could have continued for many months, if not years,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko for the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“Meng's admissions are evidence of a consistent pattern of deception to violate U.S. law,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate companies doing business in the United States when there are signs, they behave with contempt for our laws,” added the statement.

The Canadian Department of Justice later confirmed that Meng was free to leave the country and return to China. She boarded a special Air China flight and left for Shenzhen, China.

On Friday evening, Justin Trudeau shared that as Meng Wanzhou will be leaving for China, two Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig who were detained in China will also be returning. They were aboard a flight in China and will be back soon.