Chinese Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu branded pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong as violent criminals and says if Canada grants them asylum that amounts to interference in China's internal affairs.

“We are deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians earlier this month and call for their immediate release," Chrystia Freeland said in a statement on Friday.

Telecommunications giant Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested December 1, setting off a chain of events that has Canada caught between two global superpowers.