China Accuses Canadian Missionaries of Spying

Chinese authorities are accusing a Canadian missionary couple of spying.

Kevin and Julie Garratt own a coffee shop in Dandong, a Chinese city near the North Korean border, which they opened in 2008.

Peter's Coffee House, named after their son, made a name for itself in the city for its menu and as a place where locals could practice their English.

Originally from Vancouver, the Garratt's worked as teachers in southern China since 1984 before moving to Dandong and opening the popular coffee shop.

On Monday, Chinese authorities accused them of espionage and stealing state secrets. The couple had been hosting church services in their home and taking food and aid across the border into North Korea, with government permission.

The investigation comes a week after Canada accused a China-sponsored hacker of infiltrating Canada's National Research Council.