On Saturday, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou returned to China after a three-year imprisonment in Canada on fraud charges.
The internet giant's CFO flew in Shenzhen, China's southernmost city, donning a traditional red-colored patriotic dress. Meng Wanzhou waved to the media and well-wishers who had gathered to meet her as she stepped off the plane, saying she was "speechless" the minute her feet touched Chinese land.
Japanese netizens hailed Meng Wanzhou's return to China after nearly three years in detention in Canada, comparing her homecoming to Japan's swift submission to US persecution over 30 years ago. Some feel that the situation now would be different if Japan had continued to make efforts like the Chinese government, as per Global Times.
Meng Wanzhou reaches agreement with US authorities
According to a global affairs expert, the Japanese government has sacrificed the most basic economic interests of its people in order to serve the US plan, which is a terrible tragedy.
If Japan had been able to fight as valiantly as China did at the time, it could now play a significant part in world politics and economics, rather than being seen as a vassal state of the United States.
Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada in December 2018 at the request of the US government on fraud charges. Following a trial, Canada's Justice Department announced that Meng has been granted permission to leave the country.
After striking an arrangement with US authorities, she was released on Friday. Meng told reporters after being freed from Canadian prison that her life had been turned upside down for the last three years, and that it had been a difficult period for her as a mother, wife, and company leader.
Per Republic World, Meng is accused of misleading HSBC about the true nature of Huawei's relationship with Skycom, putting the bank in risk of violating US anti-Iran sanctions.
Wanzhou's release was facilitated by a deal that allows her to publicly reject guilt on key counts while agreeing to America's claims. The Chinese group's CFO signed a "statement of facts" confirming that she made fraudulent claims and representations to HSBC on purpose as part of the deal.
Huawei says it will continue defending the company against the US
Meng Wanzhou's return to China without facing legal consequences is being exploited to bolster nationalist sentiment by supporting the narrative that Huawei and China were innocent victims of the US.
In a statement released on Saturday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated Beijing's stance on the issue, saying it was "an act of political persecution against a Chinese citizen" with "materials sufficient to show Meng's innocence."
Many Chinese citizens, analysts say, regard her release as a success for the government, although the company's top financial officer has acknowledged to misconduct, albeit without admitting crime.
The Chinese people are really delighted and excited, according to Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Beijing's Renmin University, since they believe China has become a leader in the digital era after being an underdog since the industrial revolution.
According to Lu Xiang, a research fellow in US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Huawei reflects China's rapid technological advancement and is one of the few areas where China is ahead of the US.
This increases national pride, which naturally draws support. Huawei said in a statement on Friday that it will "continue to defend itself in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York" against the charges, SCMP reported.
Related Article: Canadian Court Releases Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou After US Extradition Case Ends
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