Chinese President Xi Jinping completely embarrassed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G20 Summit in Indonesia. Xi appeared to talk down to Trudeau in a condescending and irritated manner. Everything was captured on camera. Xi spoke in Chinese and an interpreter was present to translate everything into English. There was even a point in the dressing down when the interpreter moved out of the way of the clearly visible cameras to capture the entire interaction on video.
The move was clearly calculated and staged for the desired effect by the Chinese. Everything in China is about “face” or what people think when they observe a thing happening. This was also the case when former President Hu Jintao was escorted out of a CCP meeting with Xi sitting just a few feet from him. Some speculate that these recent moves are a way for Xi to exert his dominance as he moves to become the modern-day version of Mao Zedong.
The reason that Xi Jinping addressed Justin Trudeau in such an unsettling manner in public seems sort of petty. Xi, Trudeau, and others had an off-camera discussion about Chinese politics. Specifically, the discussion was allegedly about Chinese influence in Canada, among other things that are similarly related.
That conversation somehow found its way to the mainstream media. Xi did not like that at all. He wished the conversation remained private. Since this did not happen, Xi apparently took it upon himself to make the dressing down and scolding of another head of state private. Again, to save “face” and to make himself appear dominant over Trudeau. The result was a complete embarrassment of the Prime Minister and Canada from a foreign power that appears like they fear no one.
SOURCES:
Xi Scolds Trudeau Over Private Conversation Gone Public – The New York Times
Spat with Justin Trudeau upsets Xi Jinping’s choreographed return to limelight | Financial Times
Xi angrily rebukes Trudeau over ‘leaks’ to media about Canada-China relations | Justin Trudeau | The Guardian
G20: Xi accuses Trudeau of leaks to media about China-Canada relations – BBC News
China’s Xi Jinping lectures Justin Trudeau at G20 over alleged leak | CNN
Xi confronts Trudeau at G-20, says private conversation was ‘leaked’ to media: ‘Not appropriate’ | Fox News
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