習氏、カナダ首相に説教？ 異例の振る舞い

【ヌサドゥアＡＦＰ＝時事】インドネシアで開催された２０か国・地域首脳会議（Ｇ２０サミット）で中国の習近平国家主席がカナダのジャスティン・トルドー首相を叱責する様子がカメラに捉えられた。首脳間のこうした言動が公になることはまれで、すでに冷え込んでいる両国関係が悪化する恐れもある。（写真はＧ２０サミットで言葉を交わす習氏とトルドー氏。カナダ首相府提供）
　Ｇ２０サミット会場で１６日に撮影された１分ほどの動画では、会談の詳細がメディアにリークされたことについて、習氏がトルドー氏に対して説教していたように見えた。
　トルドー氏は１５日の会談で、カナダ国民に対する中国の「干渉」があるとして議題にした。カナダ政府は先に、中国政府がカナダの民主主義や司法システムに介入していると非難していた。この日は両氏にとって２０１９年以来の直接会談だった。
　１６日の動画では、習氏は通訳を介してトルドー氏に「われわれが話したことは全て新聞にリークされている。不適切だ」と言い、「そうした形で議論がなされたわけではない」と続けた。
　習氏はさらに「誠意があるなら、お互いを尊重する姿勢に基づいた対話ができる。さもなければ、予測不能な結果となるだろう」と警告した。
　こう言って立ち去ろうとした習氏に、トルドー氏は「カナダでは、自由で開かれた、率直な対話が重んじられる。これからもそうした対話をしていく」と返し、「建設的に協力することを目指すが、相いれないこともある」と述べた。
　習氏は手を上げて話を遮り、「条件を整えよう」と繰り返し、笑顔をつくると、トルドー氏とほとんど目を合わせずに握手をしてその場を立ち去った。
　会話が撮影されていることに、習氏が気付いていたのか、またはいつ気付いたのかは分かっていない。
　中国外務省は１７日、両国首脳にとってこうした会話は「通常の」ものであり、「習近平（国家主席）が誰かを批判したり責めたりしていると解釈されるべきではない」として、火消しを図った。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/11/18-12:52）

Chinese President Xi Jinping scolded Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an on-camera dressing down at the G20 summit, an unusual public spat that could further complicate strained relations between the countries.
Video recorded by reporters at the Bali summit for world leaders on Wednesday showed Xi appearing to upbraid Trudeau after details of talks between the two leaders were leaked to the media.
Trudeau had on Tuesday raised with Xi the issue of what he called Chinese interference with Canadian citizens after Ottawa in recent weeks accused Beijing of meddling with its democratic and judicial systems.
In the one-minute clip captured on the sidelines of the Indonesian summit, Xi tells Trudeau through an interpreter: Everything we discussed has been leaked to the papers. That is not appropriate.
He adds: And that's not the way (our discussion) was conducted, was it?
China's foreign ministry on Thursday sought to play down the footage, saying it showed a normal conversation between the two leaders and should not be interpreted as Xi Jinping criticising or blaming anyone.
The reasons for the difficulties in China-Canada relations in recent years are very clear, spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing.
The fault does not lie with the Chinese side.
- 'Create conditions' -
In the footage, Xi tells Trudeau: If there is sincerity, we can have conversations based on an attitude of mutual respect. If not, the results will be unpredictable.
Xi then appears to try to walk past the Canadian leader, who replies: In Canada, we believe in free, 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.
Raising his hands, Xi cuts him off, saying: Create the conditions. Create the conditions.
He then broadens his smile, barely looking at Trudeau as he shakes his hand and leaves his counterpart to make his way out of the room.
It is not clear when, if ever, Xi becomes aware that the conversation is being filmed.
The foreign ministry spokeswoman denied that Xi's words if not amounted to a threat, saying both sides are expressing their respective positions.
Frank dialogue is not a problem for China, but we hope (it) will be built on a basis of equal and mutual respect instead of condescending criticism, she said.
- 'Awkward position' -
It was extremely rare for Chinese leaders to show their displeasure in such an off-the-cuff way, said Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore.
Xi's remarks suggest he feels he can pressure Trudeau with few repercussions, if any, Chong told AFP, adding that the Chinese leader's high degree of confidence might indicate he does not take either Trudeau or Canada that seriously as interlocutors.
In contrast, Xi's body language with (US President) Biden just a few days before... seemed more cordial, he said.
The Chinese leader's tone was akin to a great power speaking to a less-great power, said Van Jackson, senior lecturer in international relations at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
Xi's language and body posture was not at all unusual for government officials who are on less than friendly terms -- in private, Jackson told AFP.
Tensions between China and the United States put Canada in an especially awkward position, he said, adding that Ottawa's embeddedness in the network of Anglo-Saxon, intelligence-sharing democracies all but ensures it will draw China's ire more and more as time passes.
Xi's Tuesday meeting with Trudeau was the first face-to-face dialogue between the two leaders since 2019.
It came after the Chinese leader last month broke longstanding political precedent to take a third term in power and stack top government positions with his personal allies.
Canadian federal police said last week they were investigating so-called police stations set up illegally by Beijing in the North American country.
Trudeau also said last week China was playing aggressive games after Canadian broadcaster Global News reported on a clandestine network of federal election candidates funded by Beijing.
Relations between the two countries plunged into the deep freeze when Canadian authorities arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in 2018 for allegedly flouting US sanctions on Iran.
Beijing later detained two Canadian citizens in China, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, in what critics called a tit-for-tat response.
Meng and the two Canadians were released last year after lengthy negotiations.