Canadian diplomats denied access to tycoon Xiao Jianhua’s China trial
- The Chinese-Canadian businessman has been detained in the mainland for five years after disappearing from a Hong Kong hotel
- Charges have not been disclosed but are believed to relate to financial crimes
Canadian diplomats have been denied access to the trial of dual citizen Xiao Jianhua, according to Ottawa’s embassy in Beijing.
“Canada made several requests to attend the trial proceedings. Our attendance was denied by Chinese authorities,” the embassy said in a short statement.
The 50-year-old Chinese-Canadian tycoon’s trial is understood to have opened in Shanghai on Monday, five years after his disappearance from Hong Kong’s luxury Four Seasons hotel.
The charges against Xiao – who once headed one of China’s largest private business conglomerates spanning insurance, brokerage, mining and other interests – were not disclosed.
However, a Wall Street Journal report said he was accused of illegally collecting public deposits, a charge that could lead to more than 10 years in jail, depending on the amounts involved.
Criminal cases in China usually result in convictions and the exact charge and amount of money involved would be key to any punishment.
The Chinese government and mainland media have been quiet about the trial, but there have been reports that Xiao was initially detained in Suzhou after his disappearance from Hong Kong in January 2017, before being transferred to Shanghai.
