China has said it supports frank exchanges as long as they take place on an equal footing, after its president publicly berated Justin Trudeau.
Both were seen arguing to G20 summit in Indonesia after President Xi Jinping expressed anger at Trudeau for allegedly leaking details of a meeting in which the Canadian prime minister raised concerns about alleged Chinese interference in the the affairs of his country.
But the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Mr Xi did not criticize Mr Trudeau.
Spokesperson Mao Ning said the current state of relations between Beijing and Ottawa is Canada’s responsibility and Beijing hopes Canada will take steps that will create conditions for improving bilateral relations.
“The video you mentioned was indeed a short conversation the two leaders had during the G20 summit,” she said.
“It’s completely normal. I don’t think it should be interpreted as a criticism or an accusation of President Xi.”
President Xi’s exchange with Mr. Trudeau was captured by a television camera.
What was said in the exchange of the couple?
“Everything we discussed has been leaked to the newspaper; it’s not appropriate,” Xi Jinping told Trudeau through an interpreter.
“And that’s not… the way the conversation was conducted, if there’s any sincerity on your part,” Mr. Xi said, at which point Mr. Trudeau cut him off.
“In Canada, we believe in free, open and frank dialogue and that is what we will continue to have,” Trudeau said.
“We will continue to seek to work together constructively, but there will be things we disagree on.”
Mr. Xi looked around as Mr. Trudeau replied.
“Let’s create the conditions first,” Xi replied through the interpreter, before the couple shook hands.
Trudeau raised “serious concerns”
The couple spoke for the first time at the G20 last Tuesday.
A Canadian official said he discussed Ukraine, North Korea and climate change and Mr Trudeau raised “serious concerns about interference activities in Canada”.
When later asked at a press conference about the confrontation, Mr Trudeau said that “not all conversations will always be easy, but it is extremely important that we continue to stand up for the things that are important to us. Canadians”.
Learn more about the G20:
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What China expected from talks with Biden
The leaders “express their respective positions”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ms. Mao said, “First of all, I would like to stress that China never interferes in other countries’ affairs.”
She did not say whether Mr Trudeau citing alleged Chinese interference on Tuesday was the reason for the exchange between the two leaders the following day.
Ms Mao said Mr Xi telling Mr Trudeau ‘otherwise the outcome will not be easy to tell’ was not a threat as the two leaders were engaging in a ‘normal’ exchange and ‘just expressing their respective positions’ “.
