The thorny issue of two detained Canadians in China was raised during a meeting this week in Bangkok between the two countries foreign ministers.

Chrystia Freeland says she and Wang Yi discussed the matter on the sidelines of the annual summit for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

”The fact that we were able to speak and discuss these issues face-to-face directly with one another absolutely is a positive step,” said Freeland during a conference call from Thailand.

Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were arrested soon after Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in B.C. last December on an extradition request from Washington.

”Our relationship with China is complicated at the moment.  I am convinced, as I was during the NAFTA negotiations and by the NAFTA precedent, that the surest route to a successful outcomes is for us not to be negotiating in public,” added Freeland.