Trudeau expresses concerns to China’s Xi over ‘interference’

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised “serious concerns” over suspected domestic interference by China in his first talks with President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in more than three years, a Canadian government source said.

The “interference” is likely a reference to a November 7 Canadian media report that cited intelligence officials saying they suspected China of meddling in the 2019 election. Also, an employee at Canada’s largest electricity producer was arrested and charged by police on Monday over allegations of trying to steal trade secrets for China.

Trudeau discussed his concerns about Chinese “interference activities” in Canada on the sidelines of a Group of 20 meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali, the government source said.

China’s embassy in Ottawa did not immediately respond to confirm the meeting or the points of discussion.

“Canada’s intelligence agencies, which are usually reticent in public, have been indicating their concern,” said Roland Paris, Trudeau’s former foreign policy adviser and professor of international affairs at University of Ottawa.

“It’s a matter that’s going to require the Canadian government to take additional steps to secure Canada’s democracy.”

Trudeau and Xi also discussed Ukraine crisis, North Korea, and the importance of December’s summit in Montreal “to protect nature and fight climate change”, the source said. They also talked about “the importance of continued dialogue,” the source said.

A picture shows the two leaders facing each other in a crowded room where they spoke for about 10 minutes, the source said. That compares with a three-and-a-half hour closed-door meeting between US President Joe Biden and Xi on Monday.

Joly also met with her Chinese counterpart on Tuesday, the government source said.