The arrest of the Huawei CEO was illegal

Answer to a question on Quora:

https://www.quora.com/So-considering-the-recent-arrest-in-Canada-of-a-Huawei-CFO-it-appears-the-real-question-is-is-Canada-with-the-USA-or-is-Canada-with-China-If-youre-a-Canadian-what-do-you-think/answer/Vince-Dhimos
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So considering the recent arrest in Canada of a Huawei CFO it appears the real question is, is Canada with the USA or is Canada with China? If you're a Canadian, what do you think?
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Perspectives: What Huawei case says about America's growing impatience with China

Vince Dhimos

Vince Dhimos, Editor-in-Chief at New Silk Strategies (2016-present)

Answered just now

That is not the relevant question, and the fact that the inquirer focused on whether Canada was supporting US policy is evidence that Westerners are willing to let the US -- not international legal bodies -- be the final arbiter in international disputes. What the US did was illegal. They had no legal right to demand the arrest of a person who had not committed a crime, regardless of the allegation that her company had misused patented methods. In other words, the question is not whether a country is “with” the US or China. The properly framed question is whether the country is acting within the limits of international law governing fair trade. When Canada detained the Huawei CEO without probable cause, it was acting illegally on illegal orders. This was practically unprecedented. A patent infringement or other trade related matter does not fall under criminal law and such an arrest is unwarranted. The proper legal channel is a suit filed with the WTO, which decides the matter in consideration of international commercial law, not criminal law (only a suspected crime would merit such an arrest).
 
Let us remember that it is essentially the WTO that writes the rules for international trade. One cardinal WTO rule is that subsidizing merchandise intended for export is unfair practice and is essentially forbidden. Therefore, the US is in gross violation because autos are subsidized in the US and they are then exported. Oil and gas are also factually subsidized under the 2017 tax reform that grants tax credits to energy firms (this tax reform was the only thing propping up US energy firms practicing fracking, which were all under water until then). And exportation of gas and oil is one of the main platforms of US economic policy. In view of this, the arrest of that poor girl was not only illegal and a violation of human rights but also grossly hypocritical. Not to mention an act of war with a nuclear power.
 
That makes it very stupid and irresponsible. The US people and the world deserve better.

Relevant:

IS THE US TAXPAYER PAYING POLAND TO BUY US GAS?
http://www.newsilkstrategies.com/news--analysis/is-the-us-taxpayer-paying-poland-to-buy-us-gas