China's Foreign Minister Demanded A Meeting With Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau (And He Got It!!!!)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday. (CHRIS WATTIE/REUTERS)

Globe and Mail: China’s foreign minister demanded meeting with Justin Trudeau

China’s Foreign Minister, in Ottawa to meet with his Canadian counterpart, demanded and received a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – an unusual diplomatic move that underscores China’s increasingly assertive posture on the world stage.

Foreign leaders typically meet with ministers who are equal to them in political stature. When China’s Wang Yi first proposed to come to Canada, he requested a get together with Canada’s Stéphane Dion. The two countries agreed in 2014 to a yearly meeting between foreign-affairs ministers.

But last week, the Chinese side also demanded a visit with Mr. Trudeau. When they were told the Prime Minister might not be available, they insisted a meeting be arranged, according to four sources with knowledge of the situation. One source said the Chinese side implied it might cancel the visit if Mr. Wang was not given time with Mr. Trudeau.

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WNU Editor: There are protocols in international diplomacy that are respected by every nation in the world .... what China demanded was wrong in every-way, and how Canada responded made the situation worse. Leaders of sovereign states do not acquiesce to meet a foreign minister of another state when he demands it (unless it is an emergency). This was not an emergency .... not even close. So why did China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi demand to have this meeting .... the answer is very simple .... because I have experienced it myself and it is something that the Chinese do for every major new leader or diplomat in the world .... they will test to see how resolved and determined you are to stick to your principles and to protocol .... to them it is a test of character. In regards to this case .... China was testing, assessing, and measuring the type of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is .... and what they found is that he is pushover who can be pressured. PM Justin Trudeau should never have agreed to this meeting .... and definitely not like this. So the big question is .... did PM Justin Trudeau agreed to have this meeting himself (thereby over-riding his aides), or was it a blunder within the Prime Minister's office and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .... who are all new to the job and were not prepared for this old and (in the eyes of the Chinese) a useful trick to test a new leader. I suspect that we will never know the answer .... but in the eyes of the Chinese .... I know that they got all the answers that they needed to know.

Memo to Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton .... you will be tested by the Chinese within 2 months after  moving into the White House .... whatever they do or threaten .... do not bend.