Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou thanks firm’s employees in emotional letter
Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou has penned an emotional letter to the company’s employees, saying their support has “brought her to tears”.
Meng, who is fighting extradition to the US from Canada, thanked staff at the Chinese tech firm for showing concern for her wellbeing during her detainment in Vancouver.
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“Despite being physically restricted to a very limited space during my time in Vancouver, my inner self has never felt so colourful and vast,” wrote Meng in an internal company letter first published by Chinese media.
“Your concern has warmed my heart and your support has filled me with power,” she added.
Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver in December on charges relating to the violation of sanctions against Iran.
Lawyers for the Chinese executive have insisted the allegations against her are unfounded and politically-motivated and have said she will seek a stay of extradition over alleged civil rights abuses.
But in the letter Meng said she has been heartened by messages of support from other Huawei employees.
“Every time I saw these messages, an indescribable feeling would arise from the bottom of my heart,” she wrote. “I believe that every time I take a step forward, there are 180,000 Huawei employees taking that step with me.”
The letter has since been shared online, and a spokesperson for Huawei confirmed its authenticity.
Meng is under house arrest in Canada and must wear a monitoring device on her ankle, but during a pre-extradition hearing last week the finance boss won approval to move to her newly-renovated C$13m (£7.4m) mansion in Vancouver.
The case has stirred up tensions between China and the West, and more than a dozen Canadian citizens have been arrested in China since December in apparent retaliation.
Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor were detained in China on charges of national security nine days after Meng’s arrest.
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The pair have reportedly been subjected to frequent interrogations and held in cells with the lights permanently turned on.
Meng’s lawyers did not say when they would apply for the stay of extradition hearing, but her next scheduled court appearance is not until September.