China’s top diplomat in Canada says the release of Huawei Technologies Co.’s chief financial officer would help warm tense economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Chinese Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu told BNN Bloomberg in an interview that Meng Wanzhou’s arrest has disrupted bilateral relations, but said her release would mean both countries can return to developing what he called a mutually-beneficial trade partnership.

“We urge the Canadian government to properly settle the issue, to release Madame Meng as soon as possible so our relationship can come back to the right track and we can tap into the great potential for the two countries,” Cong said.

Cong said Meng’s arrest was part of a U.S. political ploy to undermine China’s high-tech companies, one that has continued with the attempted U.S. bans on TikTok and WeChat. He said Canada is acting as an “accomplice” to the U.S. and that the arrest has nothing to do with the rule of law.

Meng is currently under house arrest in Vancouver as her extradition trial over alleged fraud and attempts to circumvent U.S. trade sanctions continues.

The ambassador didn’t rule out that Meng’s release could help lead to the freeing of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been detained in China for almost two years in what’s widely viewed as  retaliation against Canada’s role in Meng’s capture.

“[Meng's release] is conducive for moving our relationship back on track and that is conducive for us when it comes to ... cooperation in multilateral and bilateral areas,” Cong said when asked whether it would aid the two detained Canadians’ release.