‘Not appropriate’: Xi to Trudeau on media leaks

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday criticised Canadian PM Justin Trudeau in person over alleged leaks of their closed-door meeting at the G20 summit, capturing a rare public display of annoyance by the Chinese leader.

In video footage published by Canadian broadcasters, Xi and Trudeau can be seen standing close to each other and conversing via a translator.

“That is not appropriate, and we didn’t do it that way,” Xi said in Mandarin, smiling. “If there is sincerity, we can communicate well with mutual respect, otherwise the outcome will not be easy to tell.”

His displeasure was likely a reference to media reports that Trudeau brought up “serious concerns” about alleged espionage and Chinese “interference” in Canadian elections when meeting with Xi on Tuesday, his first talks with the Chinese leader in over three years. There was no official meeting readout.

A translator for Xi can be heard in the video telling Trudeau that “everything we discussed was leaked to the paper(s), that’s not appropriate”.

Trudeau responds to Xi’s initial criticism by saying “in Canada we believe in free and open and frank dialogue and that is what we will continue to have, we will continue to look to work constructively together but there will be things we disagree on”.

Before he finished speaking, however, Xi, looking slightly exasperated, cuts him off and emphatically says “create the conditions, create the conditions, OK?” before smiling, shaking Trudeau’s hand and walking off.