"The Chinese departments handling the case made special arrangements within the scope allowed by Chinese law, and agreed to allow Kovrig to speak on the phone with his father," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing.
Geng added that during the coronavirus outbreak which emerged in China late last year, authorities have taken "relevant measures to realistically protect the health and safety of people in custody including Kovrig and Spavor".
Former Canadian ambassador to Beijing Guy Saint-Jacques told AFP that it was "not in the habit of Chinese authorities" to allow these kinds of calls, and said the news was "a little encouraging". "I don't think that his chances of getting out have increased because of this, but it shows a little bit of goodwill on the part of Chinese authorities," he said.