In a video released by Canadian broadcasters, Xi and Trudeau at a press conference at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, stood close to each other and spoke through an interpreter. The sentences are:
“It’s not appropriate and we didn’t do it this way. If there is sincerity, we can communicate well with mutual respect, otherwise the outcome will not be easy,” Xi said with a smile in Mandarin Chinese.
The Chinese leader’s displeasure was linked to media reports that Trudeau expressed “serious concern” about alleged Chinese espionage and “interference” in Canadian elections during a meeting with Xi Jinping last Tuesday, in his first talks with the China in more than 3 years. the Chinese leader.
In the video, Xi’s interpreter can be heard telling Trudeau that “everything we discussed was leaked to the newspapers, it’s inappropriate.”
“In Canada, we believe in free, open and frank dialogue, and that is what we will continue to pursue. We will continue to seek constructive common work, but there will be things we disagree on,” Trudeau said, responding to criticism of the Chinese leader. .
However, before the Canadian prime minister finished speaking, Xi interrupted his interlocutor with a slightly annoyed look: “Create the conditions, create the conditions, okay?” Then he smiled, shook Trudeau’s hand, and walked away.
Neither China’s foreign ministry nor state media have published anything about the Xi-Trudeau talks. They held an informal 10-minute meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Tuesday, according to a government source. The Chinese Foreign Ministry website reports that Xi Jinping held nine official bilateral meetings with other heads of state during the summit.
Canada has never released an official report on the meeting, but Trudeau confirmed the conversation and the points he made to Xi at a press conference at the end of the G20.
“Canada trusts its citizens with information about the conversations we have on their behalf as a government,” he said.
Trudeau added that not all conversations with leaders will be easy, but stressed that the “systems” in the two countries are different, and China “doesn’t always have the same openness that a democratic leader can and should have with its citizens “.
The brief but revealing exchange between Xi and Trudeau highlighted tensions between China and Canada that escalated after Meng Wanzhou, chief executive of China’s Huawei Technologies, was arrested in 2018 and Beijing later arrested two Canadians on charges of espionage.
All three were later released. Despite this, tensions have risen again recently.
On Monday, Canadian police said an employee of Canada’s largest electricity producer, Hydro-Quebec, was charged with espionage for attempting to steal trade secrets on behalf of China.
News of the arrest came as Trudeau and Xi attended the G20 summit.
We also recall that in November, Canada did not allow 3 Chinese companies to invest in Canadian critical minerals, citing national security.
