Based on available public information, the case happened about eight years ago, and Meng was not a top executive at Huawei. At that time there were many companies in China and elsewhere selling US products to Iran. Huawei allegedly sold about 1 million dollar goods for civilian use. The selective law enforcement in this case is rather curious:
Why would the US persecute this particular case so vigorously? Extradition is not very common for crimes of this level of severity.
Why would the US want to have someone physically arrested instead of to punish Huawei with fine and export ban, which are more common for companies violating sanctions?
Why would the US choose to arrest the daughter of Huawei's founder, instead of someone who is more directly involved in the Iran deal?
It is hard to believe this is a case of bad timing. There has been lots of infighting within the Trump administration. Most likely, the hawk fraction intentionally chose to arrest Meng at the time of Trump-Xi meeting in order to undermine a possible trade deal by embarrassing China. Think about what happens if China arrests Tim Cook because Apple didn't pay the right amount of tax in China eight years ago.
The case is directed at her specifically: "Meng is accused of committing fraud in 2013 by telling U.S. financial institutions that Huawei had no connection to Skycom, which was reportedly selling goods manufactured in the United States to Iran in violation of American sanctions on Tehran. Meng has contended Huawei sold Skycom in 2009." [1]
As far as selective enforcement - can you give any examples?
Also - even though you're probably right on some level, and I fully agree there's 'relevance' to the current situation in China, I would argue it's not acutely relevant.
A lot of law enforcement doesn't happen until there's some people getting bold about it. For example, the Hells Angels get away with a lot until there is real violence, or super hardcore drugs start appearing - then the cops focus their attention more on the situation. Organized crime knows this, which is why they choose to keep the equilibrium by staying quiet, generally.
Since America has general competitive concerns with China, it makes sense that a large international firm that is flagrantly violating US law would be targeted by a body in the justice system.
But it doesn't mean that Trump's hawkish team is behind this as a part of the negotiations.
In fact, I really don't think it's part of the negotiation, and I even bet that Trump et. al. were caught maybe off guard by it.
So yes, politicized, but more in general, not acutely.
Moreover, if there is law being broken it should be prosecuted, and to your point, hopefully more evenly.
FYI - sometimes these things are also done to 'send a signal'. Just like if a Hells Angel dude steps out of line and maybe does something violent, and the cops rush down on all members of that chapter, it's a 'signal' to HA leadership that if they step out of line, that's what's going to happen, i.e. part of keeping the equilibrium. Otherwise, if the HA chapter got away with something, others might try as well.
Why would the US persecute this particular case so vigorously? Extradition is not very common for crimes of this level of severity.
Why would the US want to have someone physically arrested instead of to punish Huawei with fine and export ban, which are more common for companies violating sanctions?
Why would the US choose to arrest the daughter of Huawei's founder, instead of someone who is more directly involved in the Iran deal?
It is hard to believe this is a case of bad timing. There has been lots of infighting within the Trump administration. Most likely, the hawk fraction intentionally chose to arrest Meng at the time of Trump-Xi meeting in order to undermine a possible trade deal by embarrassing China. Think about what happens if China arrests Tim Cook because Apple didn't pay the right amount of tax in China eight years ago.