China has demanded that Canada release the arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou or face consequences.

Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng had summoned the Canadian ambassador and lodged a “strong protest”, a statement said.

The ministry described Meng’s arrest as “extremely nasty”. Meng, Huawei’s chief financial officer and daughter of the firm’s founder, is accused of breaking US sanctions on Iran.

China insists that she has not violated any laws. She was held in Vancouver last Saturday and faces extradition to the US, where she could be jailed for up to 30 years.