Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou returned to China from Canada on Friday after coming to an agreement with US prosecutors to resolve the bank fraud case against her, a source of tension between China and the United States. Shortly after the deal was announced, the two Canadians who were detained following Meng's arrest were released from Chinese prisons and were heading back to Canada. Beijing had denied any connection between the arrests. White House press secretary Jen Psaki denied any involvement by the White House in brokering a "prisoner swap," stating that the deferred prosecution agreement with Meng was carried out by the independent Department of Justice. "This is a matter for law enforcement," she stated, clarifying that there is no connection. However, Psaki also verified that Xi Jinping of China mentioned Meng's case in a call on Sept 9, two weeks before the official announcements. During the call, US President Joe Biden advocated for the release of the two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who had been detained in China for over 1,000 days. Psaki emphasized that the leaders discussed the individuals' cases, but there were no negotiations. She mentioned that she was not aware if Biden was informed about the ongoing negotiations between Meng's lawyers and the Justice Department. Meng was arrested in Canada on a US warrant and faced charges of bank and wire fraud for allegedly deceiving HSBC in 2013 regarding the company's business dealings in Iran. The extradition drama that lasted for years had caused tension between Beijing and Washington, with Chinese officials suggesting that dropping the case could help resolve the diplomatic standoff. Psaki clarified that the recent deal does not mean the US is easing its concerns about China's actions. She stated that the US policy towards China remains unchanged, emphasizing that the relationship is one of competition and that China will still be held responsible for its unfair economic practices, coercive actions, and human rights violations. In September, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Biden's climate envoy John Kerry that the United States needed to take concrete actions to improve relations by addressing a list of demands, one of which was dropping the case against Meng. According to a Chinese statement, Wang stated that the United States now has the responsibility to respond. However, US officials have denied any claims that Kerry or other administration officials had discussed releasing Meng in exchange for other concessions with China. Earlier in the week, Xi announced at the United Nations that China would not construct new coal-fired power projects abroad, a commitment Kerry had been pushing for to help achieve the goals of the Paris climate agreement. A White House official emphasized that the United States had no involvement in China's decision-making process regarding this matter. "The primary reason for the movement on coal, according to the official, is China looking out for its own interests," he explained. "They likely understood that they wouldn't gain anything by holding onto it and using it as leverage." Meng received a warm reception upon her return to China, with the official media hinting that her release could potentially improve strained US-China relations. Despite some Republican senators condemning the Biden administration for bowing to Beijing's pressure, analysts argued that this criticism was unfounded. Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, believes that the agreement for Meng's release was discussed during the Trump administration. She stated that Meng had to admit to wrongdoing, which she eventually did. Glaser does not view this as capitulation. The Justice Department is currently getting ready for a trial against Huawei.