US Secretary of State demands that China release two Canadian citizens

As well as this, Pompeo said that the detention of the Kovrig and Spavor was an attempted by Beijing to "coerce" Canada.

Pompeo's statement, which was made early in the day on Monday, said that "the United States is extremely concerned by China's decision to proceed with formal charges against Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor."

"These charges are politically motivated and completely groundless," continued Pompeo.

"The United States stands with Canada in calling on Beijing for the immediate release of the two men and rejects the use of these unjustified detentions to coerce Canada."

On June 19, the Chinese state officially charged the two Michaels on spying charges after being detained in a Chinese cell—without lawyer visits or outside communication—for well over a year. The detention of these two Canadians was in reaction to Meng Wanzhou's arrest in Vancouver.

Wanzhou's arrest was requested by the United States after she was accused of breaching the US' sanctions on Iran.

In a press conference today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented on China's charges saying "it has been obvious from the beginning that this was a political decision made by the Chinese government."

"We deplore it and have from the very beginning," added the prime minister.