Majority of Chinese Canadians in B.C. agree with government on Meng Wanzhou case, poll suggests

A new poll suggests that a majority of Chinese Canadians in B.C. support the federal government's decision not to intervene in the Meng Wanzhoucase.

The poll, commissioned by the Canada Committee 100 Society and conducted by Innovative Research Group, found 54 per cent of respondents agree with the government's action, while15 per cent oppose it.

Mengis the chief financial officer for Chinese telecom giant Huawei whowas detained at Vancouver International Airporton Dec. 1,2018at the behest of U.S. officials, enraging Chinese leaders and catapulting both countries into an ongoingdiplomatic dispute.

Meng is out on bail but remains in Vancouver pending an extradition hearing, which will determine if she is to be deported to the United States to face charges of conspiracy and violating U.S. sanctions in Iran.

The Canadian government has cited rule of law as the reason it has not intervened.

The poll shows that support for the government's decision holds across a number of subgroups, including respondents' period of immigration, mother tongue, andlanguage of media consumption.

Kenny Zhang, director of research for the Canada Committee 100 Society, said respondents with a higher degree of knowledge of the Canadian justice system and the Meng case showed stronger support for the government's decision.

"As such, providing education to Chinese Canadians about the Canadian justice system is critical to building a society that promotes the core values ofCanada such as equality and justice," said Zhang.

The survey found there wasstronger support amongthose over 35.

"The relatively low support amongthe youngergeneration and the Canadian-born Chinese[is] largely because they are more likely to be uncertain, not because they are more opposed to the government's position," said Vanessa Kong, research manager of Innovative Research Group.

The online study heard from 413 Chinese Canadians age 18 or older. The results were weighted by key categoriesto reflect the actual demographic composition of the Chinese-Canadian population in B.C.

The Canada Committee 100 Society was incorporated in January 2018. Incorporationrecords list three directors journalist and broadcaster Guo Ding, lawyer Lu Chan and realtor ZhouZho.

The society's constitution says its goal is "to promotethe best interests of Chinese-Canadian communityand those of other ethnic groups in Canada, with a focus on the Chinese-Canadian community."

Meng is scheduled to be back in B.C. Supreme Court onMay 8.