A Chinese government spokesperson yesterday accused Canada of acting in a “condescending manner” following an exchange between Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that underscores the depths to which the bilateral relationship has fallen.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning’s (毛寧) comments came after Xi talked to Trudeau at the G20 summit in Indonesia on Wednesday over media reports on an earlier meeting during which Trudeau expressed concern about Chinese interference in Canada’s internal affairs.
The apparently spontaneous exchange with a translator present was captured on video.
Photo: Reuters
Mao denied China had ever interfered in the internal affairs of other nations and said Canada was responsible for the downturn in ties.
“Canada should take concrete actions to create conditions for the improvement of China-Canada relations,” she told a daily briefing.
The conversation was “quite normal and should not be interpreted as President Xi criticizing or blaming anyone,” she said.
Mao added that there had been a clear lack of respect from the Canadian side.
“China has no problem at all with having a candid dialogue with other countries,” she said.
In his comments to Trudeau, Xi said: “Everything we discussed has been leaked to the paper; that’s not appropriate.”
“And that’s not ... the way the conversation was conducted, if there is sincerity on your part,” Xi said, at which point Trudeau interrupted and stepped toward Xi.
“In Canada, we believe in free and open and frank dialogue and that is what we will continue to have,” Trudeau said. “We will continue to look to work constructively together, but there will be things we will disagree on.”
“Let’s create the conditions first,” Xi responded.
The two shook hands after the brief encounter.
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