Judge grants bail to Huawei CFO charged with defrauding US

A Canadian judge has granted bail for Meng Wanzhou, the Chinese national who is the chief financial officer of Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer.

The judge set Meng's bail at $10 million, CBC Vancouver reporter Jason Proctor reported from the courthouse. The judge agreed to conditions for bail proposed by Meng's defense team. Those rules require that Meng be subject to electronic monitoring, stay at her home in Canada between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., and be accompanied by a security team when she leaves the residence, which she is required to foot the bill for. Meng is also ordered to turn over her two passports.

US President Donald Trump said less than an hour after Meng's bail was set that he would intervene in her case if it served US national security interests or helped the US and China reach a trade agreement.

Huawei responded to the decision asserting that the Canadian and American legal systems will reach a fair conclusion with the next phase of proceedings.

Meng is also the deputy chairwoman of Huawei's board and is the eldest daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei, a former engineer in the People's Liberation Army.

The US government has repeatedly targeted Huawei and ZTE Corp., suspecting that devices made by the companies could be used for surveillance purposes. This year, Huawei phones were banned from being sold on US military bases.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt