Hydro-Quebec employee accused of spying for China is a flight risk, Crown says

LONGUEUIL, QUE. -

A Hydro-Quebec employee accused of spying for the Chinese government should remain in jail because he is a flight risk, a Crown prosecutor argued Tuesday.

Yuesheng Wang, 35, of Candiac, Que., made his first court appearance on espionage charges in Longueuil after the RCMP arrested him Monday. Canada's top police force charged him with obtaining trade secrets, unauthorized use of computer, fraud for obtaining trade secrets, and breach of trust by public officer.

Looking shocked and unsure about what was going on during his short court appearance by videoconference from RCMP headquarters in Montreal, the judge read out the charges, which were translated into Mandarin through an interpreter.

Crown prosecutor Marc Cigana opposed Wang's release from custody.

"Given the circumstances and the evidence, Mr. Wang is a flight risk. In other words, it's the first ground of objection for bail is that he will not come back to court and face the proceedings," Cigana said.

Defence lawer Gary Martin, left, representing Yuesheng Wang, and Crown Prosecutor Marc Cigana speak to the media after a hearing at the courthouse in Longueuil, Quebec Tuesday, November 15, 2022. Hydro Quebec employee Yuesheng Wang is charged with economic espionage related offences. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Wang appeared irritated, insisting that he have a bail hearing immediately. He had to be brought to order by his defence lawyer, Gary Martin, and the judge.

"The charges are unprecedented, I think it's the first time we have someone charged with these counts in Canada, so we'll see what the court establishes. We have to look at the evidence," Martin said.

Investigators said they were alerted by his employer, Hydro-Quebec and that he had access to sensitive trade secrets as part of his work on energy storage and batteries.

The RCMP alleged he used his access to benefit Chinese interests.

A woman who identified herself as Wang's girlfriend attended the proceedings on Tuesday but told the media she was unaware of what was going on.

A member of an organization promoting friendship between Canada and China expressed doubts about the charges and said they would have a negative impact on the two countries.

"These kinds of things are really impacting our relationship between the two countries," said Tina Zhu, a member of the Chinese-Canada Friendship Association.

Wang's bail hearing is scheduled for Friday, but the prosecution and defence agreed it would probably be postponed to a later date because of the amount of evidence they have to go through.

The defence lawyer also said it would need time to propose a plan to satisfy the court for his client's release on bail.