Following the arrest of a Chinese man accused of industrial espionage in Hydro-Québec, the Chinese Consulate General in Montreal said it would “not politicize” such cases that end up in court.
Posted at 5:00 am
When asked by La Presse about the reaction of the diplomatic mission after the scientist’s arrest, he was reticent.
“Individual cases should be treated in accordance with the law and not politicized,” countered the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal.
After his release Monday on charges of industrial espionage, former Hydro employee Yuesheng Wang was banned from contact with Chinese government officials except with diplomatic officials on his defense.
In this regard, the consulate confirms that it stands ready to assist its nationals in “protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Canada.”
“The Consulate General will fulfill its role in accordance with the Consular Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,” he said.
The Secrets of Hydro Quebec
Yuesheng Wang was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on November 14. He is charged with unauthorized use of a computer, fraud to obtain trade secrets, breach of trust by a public official and an offense relating to obtaining trade secrets for the “good of the People’s Republic of China” and “to the detriment of Canada’s economic interests”.
The lawsuit alleges that he leaked state-of-the-art Hydro-Quebec research secrets to Chinese companies, including an electric battery company where his former PhD supervisor works.
Wang, who was hired by Hydro in 2016 after excelling in battery research in China, testified on bail at his hearing. He admitted to being a member of the Chinese Communist Party but said he no longer pays his dues. He assured that any information he may have sent to China during his tenure at Hydro is already in the public domain and, in his opinion, does not constitute trade secrets.