HONG KONG — China attempted to downplay a diplomatic row with Canada on Thursday after a video emerged of President Xi Jinping rebuking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over alleged leaks, providing a candid glimpse into a tense interaction between world leaders.
The tense exchange, in which Xi complained that details of an earlier meeting with Trudeau had been leaked, was widely shared on social media after being captured by a media pool on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit on the Indonesian island of Bali.
The video highlighted tense relations between the two countries and offered a rare glimpse into Xi’s personal style, which Beijing carefully manages.
It depicts Xi chastising Trudeau for allegedly leaking information during a 10-minute conversation the two leaders had on Tuesday, their first meeting in more than three years.
“Everything we discussed has been leaked to the press; that’s not appropriate,” Xi said through a translator to Trudeau. “And that was not the way the conversation went.
“If there is sincerity, we can communicate effectively and with mutual respect,” he added. “Otherwise, the outcome will be difficult to predict.”
“In Canada, we believe in free, open, and frank dialogue, and that is what we will continue to have,” Trudeau responded. We will continue to strive to collaborate constructively, but there will be points where we disagree.”
“First, let us create the conditions,” Xi replied, shaking Trudeau’s hand and walking away.
Xi appeared to be irritated by news reports that Trudeau had expressed “serious concerns” about suspected Chinese meddling in Canadian affairs during their conversation on Tuesday. NBC News has not confirmed the reports, which were attributed to anonymous Canadian government sources.
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, the video depicted a “normal” conversation between the two leaders.
“I don’t think it should be interpreted as President Xi criticizing or accusing anyone,” she said Thursday during a regular news briefing.
Mao stated that China never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries and that it was up to Canada to improve relations.
“Honest dialogue is not a problem for China,” she said, “but we want it to be based on equality and mutual respect rather than condescending accusatory dialogue.”
When asked about the video during a press conference in Bali on Wednesday, Trudeau confirmed that he had discussed foreign interference with Xi.
“Not every conversation is going to be easy, but it’s critical that we continue to stand up for what’s important to Canadians,” he said. “This is something we have always done and will continue to do.”
Trudeau dodged a question about whether Xi’s confrontation was a “power play.”
Xi Jinping and Justin Trudeau appear to disagree at the G20 Summit. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press via AP) © Provided by NBC News
“I don’t mind if Xi ‘berates’ Trudeau. What concerns me more broadly… is the prospect of dictatorships targeting Canada to send a message to other democracies,” said Thomas Juneau, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, on Twitter. “Because we are not the United States or the European Union, we may be easier prey.”
Tensions between Canada and China have recently risen as a result of allegations that Beijing meddled in the country’s 2019 election. Trudeau said last week that China and other state actors were engaging in “aggressive games” to undermine democratic institutions, and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly described China as a “increasingly disruptive global power.”
During Trudeau and Xi’s G-20 meeting, an employee of Hydro-Québec, Canada’s largest electricity producer, was arrested on suspicion of spying for China. The Canadian government ordered three Chinese companies to divest from critical minerals in the country earlier this month, citing national security concerns.
Canadian authorities are also looking into claims that Chinese officials have set up secret “police stations” in the Toronto area as part of an operation against Chinese dissidents around the world. The foreign outposts, according to Beijing, are service centers that help Chinese nationals living abroad renew their driver’s licenses, among other things.
Also read: China: Police arrest 42 fugitives of economic crimes
The arrest in China of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, in 2018 was one of the most damaging blows to Canada-China relations in recent years after Canadian officials arrested Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of US authorities seeking her extradition. Kovrig and Spavor were detained on spying charges for over 1,000 days before being released in September 2021, just as Meng was allowed to return to China.
Xi had bilateral meetings with President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the G-20 summit, but not with Trudeau.
Copyright: NBCNews.com
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