Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday he had raised concerns about China’s detention of a Canadian couple near the North Korean border during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Kevin and Julia Garratt, long-time residents of China, have been detained since August for suspected theft of military and intelligence information and for threatening national security.
The couple’s son earlier yesterday had said he was not sure Canada was doing enough to help his parents.
“That particular case is of significant concern to us, to Canadians, that’s why I raised it,” Harper told reporters after two days of bilateral meetings with China’s top leaders in Beijing.
“We obviously want to have a good relationship but it has to be a good relationship that serves this country’s interests. And for that reason I raise issues where there are some significant difficulties between our governments and I’m glad we’re able to have a frank exchange with Chinese leaders on those subjects.”
Simeon Garratt, the couple’s son, said he was reassured by Harper’s move to raise the case directly with Xi. While he had no idea when his parents, who operated a coffee shop near the sensitive North Korean border, will be released. He said he is visiting Beijing during the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit. Having met with Canadian consular officials in the Chinese capital, Garratt said he planned to travel today north to Dandong, near the North Korean border, to help sell his parents’ coffee shop and try to get a message to them.
Family members have not yet been able to visit the Garratts, who are being held separately.
Garratt said he was mostly concerned for the health of his father.
“Dad injured his leg quite badly from not being able to move and go outside,” he said. “I’m also worried about their mental health, being held in isolation, what effect that is going to have on them.”
The detention of the Garratt couple came less than a week after Canada accused Chinese hackers of breaking into a key computer network, the first time it has ever singled out China for such a security breach.
Beijing dismissed the allegations as “irresponsible.”