Trudeau Speaks With Chinese Party Leader at G20 Summit

Trudeau Speaks With Chinese Party Leader at G20 Summit
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese President Xi Jinping listen to opening remarks at a plenary session at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2019. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
6/28/2019
Updated:
6/29/2019

OSAKA, Japan—Canada is fortunate to have assembled a “broad international coalition” of countries who support Canada and believe arbitrary detentions are harmful, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Friday at the G20 summit in Osaka.

Freeland, who spoke to reporters alongside her cabinet colleague Finance Minister Bill Morneau, said the Chinese regime has been hearing about the detention of two Canadians from a range of countries, adding that efforts continue here at the summit.

The Prime Minister’s Office said Trudeau had “brief, constructive interactions” with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping on the first day of meetings at the gathering of major economies.

Video footage from a working lunch on Friday showed the two leaders sitting beside each other but not interacting for several minutes while cameras were positioned on them. Trudeau could be seen making an effort to interact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on his other side.

Trudeau and Xi greeted each other prior to the interaction in the footage, government officials said. They could also be seen interacting prior to a cultural performance distributed by host broadcaster NHK.

Canada has been open for a long time to having conversations with China in addition to discussions unfolding at some diplomatic levels, Freeland said Friday, adding it remains “very, very open” to having conversations at the summit at higher level.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland speaks with the media in Ottawa, on Dec. 12, 2018. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland speaks with the media in Ottawa, on Dec. 12, 2018. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

At present, communication has proved to be difficult because the Chinese have indicated they have no interest in speaking with senior officials including Freeland or Trudeau.

To try and get through to China, Canada is now relying on the influence of U.S. President Donald Trump to raise the issue in his own bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader on Saturday. The U.S. President committed to doing so following a meeting last week with Trudeau in Washington.

Freeland wouldn’t speak to whether there was a specific ask of Trump going into the meeting, adding it is never prudent or appropriate to detail private meetings with partners.

“What I think is very clear and what has been discussed publicly by us, as well as the United States, is the partnership between Canada and the United States is very strong,” she said.

President Donald Trump greets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau upon his arrival at the White House on June 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump greets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau upon his arrival at the White House on June 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

In addition to having the backing of the U.S., the prime minister has trying to establish heightened support as part of a strategy to encourage the Chinese regime to release them and to put an end to diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

The arrests of the detained Canadians is largely viewed as retaliation for the December arrest of Chinese high tech executive Meng Wanzhou.

Meng remains under house arrest in Vancouver, where she awaits extradition to the U.S. to face allegations of fraud in violating Iran sanctions.

Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou arrives at a parole office in Vancouver, Canada on Dec. 12, 2018. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)
Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou arrives at a parole office in Vancouver, Canada on Dec. 12, 2018. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

It is important to see whether Trump does indeed raise the issue of the detentions, how he does that, and whether it has any impact, said Thomas Bernes, a fellow with the Centre for International Governance Innovation, a research think-tank.

Canada is doing everything it can to energize other heads of government to make a point to the Chinese that this is not an acceptable way to behave, Bernes said, adding it is helpful and important to remind Beijing there is a body of opinion among world leaders.

“Having said that, unfortunately, I don’t expect any early resolution or fast action,” he said.

“We can make the points as we want, we can ask others to make their points, but unless somebody is prepared to put something on the table besides words, I think we’re not going to see very much action.”