BALI, Indonesia
Chinese President Xi Jinping has chastised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over alleged leaks of an earlier meeting at the G20 summit, in a rare public display of annoyance that was captured on camera.
In video footage published by Canadian broadcasters on Wednesday, Xi and Trudeau can be seen standing close to each other and conversing via a translator at the summit on the Indonesian island of Bali.
“Everything we discussed has been leaked to the paper; that’s not appropriate,” a smiling Xi told Trudeau through the interpreter. “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 towards the Chinese president.
“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.”
Xi looked around as Trudeau replied.
“Let’s create the conditions first,” Xi responded through the interpreter before smiling, shaking Trudeau’s hand and walking off.
Trudeau held talks with Xi, the first in more than three years, at the G20 summit on Tuesday, according to Canadian officials. Media reports said Trudeau had brought up “serious concerns” about alleged espionage and Chinese “interference” in Canadian elections during the discussion.
Asked later at a news conference about the exchange with Xi, Trudeau said “not every conversation is always going to be easy, but it’s extremely important that we continue to stand up for the things that are important for Canadians”.
