OTTAWA: China will put two Canadians on trial within days following their arrests more than two years ago in apparent retaliation for the detention of a top Huawei executive, the Canadian government said Wednesday.

"Our embassy in Beijing has been notified that court hearings for Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig are scheduled to take place on March 19 and March 22, respectively," Canadian Foreign Minister March Garneau said in a statement.

The former diplomat and the businessman were formally charged with spying last June.