Canadian gets 11 years in espionage case

Canadian Michael Spavor was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a court in Liaoning province on Wednesday for espionage and illegally providing State secrets to overseas entities.

Spavor also had 50,000 yuan ($7,710) of his personal property confiscated and will be deported, according to the Intermediate People's Court of Dandong.

In general, under Chinese law foreigners convicted of committing a crime are deported after their sentences are completed.

Spavor was detained by the Chinese government "on suspicion of engaging in activities that endangered national security" in December 2018. Another Canadian, Michael Kovrig, was detained on the same charge around the same time.

The Dandong court concluded a one-day trial of Spavor in March.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau objected to Spavor's sentencing on Wednesday and called for his release.

Wang Yiwei, director of the institute of international affairs at Renmin University of China, said Trudeau's remarks showed a "colonial mentality" and equated to interference in China's judicial independence, which is a breach of international laws.