Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s scolding of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a manifestation of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) new aggressive approach toward foreign relations, also known as ‘wolf-warrior’ diplomacy, some experts say.
On Nov. 16, Xi said to Trudeau through a translator that “that’s not how, the way the conversation was conducted,“ and further dialogue may proceed ”if there is sincerity on your part, ... otherwise the result will be hard to say.”
Sheng Xue, a key figure in the overseas Chinese pro-democracy movement in Canada, said while Xi didn’t make a direct threat, it is clearly implied in his remarks to Trudeau.
“The menace in Xi’s remarks is evident,” Sheng told The Epoch Times.
“Although I think Trudeau is indeed too weak, being reprimanded by Xi Jinping, their interaction also distinguished the fundamental difference between two human societies,” she added.
She noted that in recent years, Beijing’s approach to foreign relations has been increasingly aggressive.
“Incidents like this are unique in the world,” she said.
Victor Ho, a veteran Chinese journalist in Canada, also attributed Xi’s confrontational demeanour to wolf-warrior diplomacy.
China ‘Emotionally Dissatisfied With Canada’
Prior to Trudeau’s meeting with Xi, former Canadian ambassador to China, David Mulroney, said in a tweet that it’s too early for the prime minister to rebuild a relationship with China, following the mounting tension between the two countries in recent years.This view is shared by Josephine Chiu-Duke, professor at the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia, pointing to China’s arbitrary arrest of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, widely seen as Beijing’s use of hostage diplomacy to punish Ottawa for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
“For Xi Jinping, he is likely taking this opportunity to let our Canadian prime minister know that in the past few years, because of the Meng Wanzhou incident and the two Michaels incidents, China is emotionally dissatisfied with Canada,” Josephine Chiu-Duke, professor at the University of British Columbia, said in an interview.
“Politicians from authoritarian states may not abide by the etiquette of respect when interacting with political leaders from states that they consider to be inferior in terms of national power, and may even use such occasions to show that they are in a dominant position.”
Sheng Xue pointed to the political legacy of Trudeau’s father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who adopted a friendly approach toward the communist-led People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“[Pierre Trudeau] provided much support for the CCP since the [early days], even helping the People’s Republic of China to open up relations to the international community,” Sheng said.
“The political legacy left to him by his father, shaped [Justin] Trudeau’s way of dealing with China when he came to office,” she added. “He was very friendly, gentle, submissive, and compromising with the CCP, which actually gave China legitimate reason to treat him with this arrogant attitude.”
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