China confirmed Thursday two Canadians are under investigation on suspicion of endangering the country’s national security, fuelling tensions after Canada’s arrest of a top Chinese telecom executive on a US request. Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and business consultant Michael Spavor were put under “compulsory measures” on Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, using a term which would ususally mean they are in custody. The two Canadians are “suspected of engaging in activities that threatened China’s national security,” Lu said at a regular press conference, without explaining if the two cases are related.
