A second Canadian might have also been nabbed by Chinese authorities, Canadian officials said Wednesday as they confirmed that a Canadian diplomat on temporary leave to work for an international nongovernmental think-tank has been arrested in China.

Global Affairs Canada officials identified the missing man as Michael Spavor, who ran a non-profit organization that organized cultural and sports exchanges with North Korea.

Spavor came to international prominence in 2013 and 2014 by organizing NBA star Dennis Rodman's visits to North Korea.

"We are aware of a Canadian who got in touch with us because he was being asked questions by Chinese authorities,"Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday.

"We have not been able to make contact with him since he let us know about this. We are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we have also raised this case with the Chinese authorities. We are in touch with his family."

Canadian officials also confirmed Wednesday that Michael Kovrig who was on an unpaid leave of absence from Global Affairs Canada to work as an expert on North-East Asia for the International Crisis Group was arrested by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security.

But other than receiving a fax from the Chinese Ministry of State Security notifying Canada of his arrest, the federal government has had no news from Korvig, officials said Wednesday.

Canadian officials don’t know where Kovrig is being held, what charges he faces and had no consular access to him, officials speaking on background said.

'We take this very personally'

The federal government is doing everything to help these Canadians, Freeland said.

“For me, for the prime minister really the issue that probably touches our hearts the most, the thing that keeps you up at night, that you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about is Canadian consular cases,” Freeland said. “It is agonizing when a Canadian is detained outside Canada, we take this very personally, and we work very hard for every Canadian in this kind of difficult situation.”

Canadian officials say they are deeply concerned by the reported arrest of former Canadian diplomat and North East Asia expert Michael Kovrig in China. (International Crisis Group)

In the case of Kovrig, who is still considered an employee of Global Affairs, Canadian officials have been in touch with Chinese authorities, Freeland said adding, that she spoke with the Chinese ambassador about it.

Freeland also said she has spoken to Kovrig’s family.

“It’s important for them to know we’re personally concerned, we are personally engaged,” Freeland said.

Karim Lebhour, a spokesperson for the International Crisis Group, said Kovrig was detained on Monday at 10pm Beijing time by Chinese security officials.

“Crisis Group has received no information about Michael directly since his detention and is concerned for his health and safety,” Lebhour said in an emailed statement. “We do not have confirmation of the exact substance of the charges against him but are working to gather as much information as possible.”

The ICG is working round the clock to ensure his well-being and secure his release, Lebhour said.

Citing Chinese authorities, the Beijing News newspaper reported Wednesday that Kovrig was being investigated for allegedly “engaging in activities that endanger China's national security.”

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told journalists in Beijing on Wednesday he had “nothing to offer” regarding Kovrig’s fate.

Lu said the ICG has not legally registered in mainland China and its activities violate the country’s new law governing nongovernmental organizations.