Xi Jinping filmed in ‘staged, public rebuke’ of Justin Trudeau

The furious Chinese leader gave Canada’s PM an extraordinary public dressing down | WATCH

Pool cameras captured this tough exchange between Canadian PM Justin Trudeau (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Picture: Twitter @AnnieClaireBO

Xi Jinping has given Justin Trudeau an extraordinary “staged, public rebuke” at the G20 in Bali after the Chinese leader was challenged about interfering in Canada’s political process.

The Chinese leader confronted Canada’s Prime Minister in a crowded room late on Wednesday and began a dressing down that appeared to reveal Ottawa has — at least temporarily — replaced Canberra as the US ally most in Beijing’s bad books.

In a scolding that will be studied in capitals around the world, Mr Xi told off Mr Trudeau for talking to Canada’s media about their previous day’s unscheduled 10 minute conversation.

“Everything we said has been leaked to the papers. That’s not appropriate. That’s not the way the conversation was conducted,” Mr Xi said.

The chiding by China’s strongman leader took place in a room full of diplomats, world leaders and international media, including a Canadian news crew that filmed the exchange.

The Cdn Pool cam captured a tough talk between Chinese President Xi & PM Trudeau at the G20 today. In it, Xi express his displeasure that everything discussed yesterday “has been leaked to the paper(s), that’s not appropriate… & that’s not the way the conversation was conducted” pic.twitter.com/Hres3vwf4Q

— Annie Bergeron-Oliver (@AnnieClaireBO) November 16, 2022

Mr Xi had attempted to freeze Canada’s Prime Minister out of private discussions at the Bali conference, a common Chinese diplomatic technique when relations are difficult — but Mr Trudeau grabbed the Chinese leader for a brief “pull aside”.

Canadian politics is being roiled by a Chinese interference scandal redolent of the Dastyari affair that rocked Canberra’s relations with Beijing in the Turnbull government.

Canada’s intelligence institutions recently told Mr Trudeau that at least 11 candidates in the 2019 federal elections were supported by Beijing, with clear links to China’s consulate in Toronto.

Mr Trudeau brought up those allegations in his brief Tuesday exchange with Mr Xi. A day later, the Chinese leader castigated the Canadian Prime Minister for releasing information to the media about their discussion.

“If you are sincere, we should communicate with each other in a respectful manner. Otherwise, the result may be difficult to say,” China’s leader said.

Looking off balance by the reproof-for-the-cameras, Mr Trudeau said he hoped the two countries could “work constructively together”.

Mr Trudeau added: “In Canada, we believe in a free and open and frank dialogue.”

“Let’s create the conditions first,” Mr Xi replied tersely, before shaking the Canadian leader’s hand, smiling for the cameras and walking off.

Xi Jinping attends a session during the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua. Picture: AFP.

Canada’s former ambassador to China David Mulroney said Mr Xi’s comments were a “staged, public rebuke”.

Tanvi Madan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Mr Xi’s behaviour was “somewhat ironic”.

“Beijing has routinely put out their version of meetings – sometimes even as meetings are still ongoing – and put words in their counterparts’ mouths or revealed agenda items,” Ms Madan said.

Canada’s relations with China plunged after Beijing in December 2018 ordered the arrest and imprisonment of two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, in retaliation for the home detention of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, following a US extradition request.

China also banned Canada’s canola exports and cut off all substantial leader level contact.

During the G20, Beijing has also taken a tough approach with the UK’s new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. A meeting planned for Wednesday between Mr Sunak and Mr Xi was called off due to “scheduling issues”, according to a Downing Street spokesman.

Beijing’s propaganda machine on Thursday suggested other reasons for the cancellation. The China Daily said the new Prime Minister had been “poisoning the atmosphere” by calling Beijing a “systemic challenge” days before the meeting.

“It is notable that of the permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations, the UK leader is the only representative which China did not have a meeting with at the summit,” the party state masthead editorialised.