A firm approach. During the G20 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping rebuked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday. An unusual scene showing the tensions between the two countries as their leaders physically met for the first time since 2019 on Tuesday.
“It is not appropriate”
Images taken Wednesday in Indonesia by journalists from the Canadian channel CTV National News they show the Chinese leader berating his Canadian counterpart in a calm but determined tone.
“Going to tell the newspapers what we said during our conversation is not appropriate,” Xi Jinping told Justin Trudeau, referring to an alleged press leak of the content of their exchange the day before.
“Also, this is not the way the discussion developed,” the president of the Asian power said in Chinese, while his remarks were translated into English live by an interpreter.
“If there is sincerity (on his part), then we should have a discussion based on mutual respect. If not, hard to wait too long,” judge Xi Jinping, as Justin Trudeau listens, looking tense.
“There will be things we disagree on”
While the Chinese president seems to want to end their exchange, the Canadian prime minister, who has remained unmoved so far, does not want to stop there. “In Canada we believe in free, open and frank dialogue, and that is what we will continue to do,” he replied.
“We will continue to seek to work together constructively, but there will be things on which we will not agree,” he warns, while the Chinese president seems to avoid looking him in the eye.
“It is up to you to create the conditions (necessary for the improvement of relations),” Xi Jinping finally replies twice, interrupting the discussion. The latter shakes hands with Justin Trudeau with a smile, before they each go their own way.
Beijing downplays
Asked this Thursday about the issue during a regular press conference, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, minimized the scope.
“I don’t think this should be construed as criticizing or reproaching anyone of President Xi,” he said.
However, there are points of tension between Beijing and Ottawa. Justin Trudeau a confié la semaine dernière son inquiétude vis-à-vis de “jeux agressifs” menés par la Chine avec les démocraties et les institutions canadiennes, après la publication de un rapport faisant état d’une interférence étrangère lors d’élections dans the country.
Ottawa authorities have also opened an investigation into illegal Chinese police stations set up in the Greater Toronto Area to control Chinese expatriates in Canada in particular.
Source: BFM TV
