Canadian detained in China has been released

China has released a Canadian citizen who was the third to be detained in the country following the arrest of Huawei finance chief Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver earlier this month. 

Broadcaster CBC identified the citizen as Canadian teacher Sarah McIver, who was undergoing “administrative punishment” for working illegally, according to China's foreign ministry. 

McIver was the third Canadian to be detained by China following the 1 December arrest in Vancouver of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies.

A Canadian official told Reuters that there was no reason to believe that the woman’s detention was linked to the earlier arrests.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland did not mention the woman in calling for the release of the other two Canadians last week.