Xi accuses Trudeau of leaks to media about China-Canada relations
China’s Xi Jinping has been filmed by journalists accusing Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau of leaking meeting details.
Via a translator, President Xi told Trudeau that it was inappropriate and accused him of lacking “sincerity.”
It’s believed he was referring to reports that Mr Trudeau discussed alleged Chinese espionage and interference in Canadian elections.
In the footage, the two leaders were seen standing close to each other and conversing via a translator. The pair were attending the G20 summit in Bali along with other world leaders.
“Everything we discussed has been leaked to the papers and that is not appropriate,” the Chinese leader told Mr Trudeau in Mandarin.
After smiling and nodding his head, the Canadian PM responded 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,” he added.
Before Mr Trudeau could finish, President Xi cut his counterpart off and asked that he first “create the conditions” – eventually shaking Trudeau’s hand and walking away.
Tensions are high between China and Canada – ever since the detention of Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou in 2018 and Beijing’s arrest of two Canadians on spying charges. All three were later released.
