The Canadian Government issued its strongest travel alert for China today after two tour leaders of Canadians Roam Amazing Places were arrested in apparent retaliation for the arrest of Longwei Travel's CEO Men Wantyou.
According to the Canadian Justice Department Men Wantyou was arrested at Vancouver Airport late last week at the behest of the US Justice Department which is investigating whether Longwei Travel violated US sanctions on Iran.
This morning Chinese strongman Xi Jinping announced on Twitter that the two tour leaders of Canadians Roam Amazing Places were arrested on charges of espionage. In addition, the Chinese Government vowed to arrest any Canadian adventure travellers who dared to set foot on Chinese soil.
When asked for comment, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose father was known for his travels to China, told a reporter of the Globe and Mail that he is not quite sorry but that he has to leave the matter in the hands of the Justice Department with whom he acknowledges to have had an erosion of trust of late.
US President Donald Trump meanwhile also weighed in on the matter on Twitter. "We may be able to negotiate. Holding out for a free trip to North Korea organized by Longwei Travel. Wanting to see Rocket Man."
Tom Gehrels, Adventure Specialist at Adventure Coordinators told Canadian Press that this would all blow over soon. "We are used to this kind of rhetoric flying and our travellers are savvy enough to see truth from fiction". He also pointed out that the acronym for Canadians Roam Amazing Places is CRAP.
As is this story. But that tends to happen with stories published on a day like today.