China has summoned the Canadian ambassador over the detainment in Vancouver of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, which it called "vile in nature," state media reported Sunday.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum on Saturday to protest Meng's detention by Canadian authorities, Xinhua news agency said.
Meng was arrested in Vancouver the previous Saturday at the request of US authorities while she was transiting from Hong Kong en route to Mexico. The US alleges she breached US sanctions on Iran and is seeking her extradition.
China urges Canada to free Meng and protect her rights, or face "grave consequences," Le said.
Her detainment "ignores the law and is unreasonable, unconscionable, and vile in nature," he said.
Meng, 46, who is also deputy chair of Huawei's board and the daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, faces charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, which carry a possible sentence of up to 30 years for each charge.
Her unexpected detainment comes at a delicate time during US-China talks to end a months-long trade war.
Meng showed up for a bail hearing in a Vancouver court on Friday, but the decision was postponed until Monday.
