Canadian Prime Minister Exposes Xi's Embarrassing Behaviour, Seeks 'Secret Diplomacy' to Save Face

The G7 Leaders Summit was held from June 15 to 17, 2025, in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada.

[People News] Recently, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney provided a rare insight during an interview into his private interactions with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. In an effort to maintain his image, Xi reportedly set aside concerns for national dignity and asked Carney not to publicly 'preach' if there were issues, but rather to communicate privately. This revelation has ignited intense discussions online.

On March 4, Prime Minister Mark Carney participated in a fireside chat at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia, where he recounted his first meeting with Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit last November. Carney noted, 'He (Xi Jinping) chose to spend the first ten minutes discussing the type of personal interaction he hopes to establish between China and Canada.' Xi's request was for Carney to refrain from 'lecturing' him in any public forum.

Carney explained that Xi suggested that if Carney had concerns about something, he could approach Xi directly to express his thoughts clearly, without any suddenness, and 'do not publicly preach.' While Xi did not state this explicitly, Carney interpreted it as 'do not publicly tell me what to do; if there are issues, please communicate with me directly.' (Video link)

Carney's comments have been widely shared and analysed by various media outlets and social media platforms.

On platform X, some netizens commented: "What Carney said is essentially a public reprimand for him (Xi)." "The diplomat most favoured by the CCP is Kissinger; the secret diplomacy he conducted with Nixon is what the CCP appreciates the most." "This indirectly suggests that the 'steamed bun' diplomacy is ineffective, as it fears public embarrassment; the more one fears something, the more one should confront it? Don't stick to his script." "Xi Jinping does not permit others to speak ill of him, and in China, this can lead to immediate arrest." "Saying it is equivalent to saying nothing; democratic countries express everything openly." 

Some netizens also analysed that openly challenging Xi Jinping is likely to be interpreted by him as 'interference in China's internal affairs,' which could harm Xi's international credibility, image, or domestic unity. 

Other netizens humorously remarked that Carney's public revelation of the content of his private discussions with Xi carries a hint of 'publicly reprimanding Xi Jinping'; 'Isn't this a form of public humiliation of China?' 

Trudeau had previously made his conversation with Xi public. 

Additionally, some netizens recalled that former Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau confronted Xi Jinping unexpectedly at the G20 summit in 2022, which likely inflicted significant psychological trauma on Xi. 'After all these years, Xi Jinping is still troubled by it; it seems he is quite sensitive about it.' 

On November 15, 2022, during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, then-Prime Minister of Canada Trudeau had a brief conversation with Xi Jinping, with no media present at the time. Trudeau later informed the media that he raised concerns regarding human rights issues and Beijing's interference in Canada's federal elections during his discussion with Xi Jinping.

Unexpectedly, the following day, Xi Jinping took the opportunity during a break at the summit to have a brief conversation with Justin Trudeau, where he expressed his dissatisfaction with Trudeau's public disclosure of their previous discussions.

In a video clip released by Canadian media CTV, Xi Jinping and Justin Trudeau are seen standing quite close to each other, conversing through a translator. Xi Jinping complained, "Everything we discussed has been leaked to the newspapers, which is inappropriate." (Video link)

Trudeau replied, "In Canada, we believe in free, open, and honest dialogue, and we will continue to do so while seeking constructive cooperation, although there are areas where we have differing opinions..." However, before he could finish, Xi interrupted him rudely, saying in a harsh tone, "Create conditions, create conditions, okay?" He then shook hands with Trudeau and left.

Some netizens interpreted the situation as follows: "Xi Jinping is quite upset that 'Little Potato' (Trudeau) disclosed their conversation to the media last time. In contrast to the more than ten minutes of opening remarks with Carney, Xi Jinping focused solely on one point this time—'Don't publicly criticise me, (but) you can say it privately.'"

An overseas netizen known as 'Yang Zi' remarked: 'Over twenty years ago, a group of idle individuals were having a conversation. Could this flourishing elephant possibly collapse? Is there a way to dismantle that prosperous era without any military action? Someone suggested a method that led them to believe in a brighter future, making them feel that the present was inadequate, even bad, ultimately resulting in their own self-destruction. Fast forward twenty years, and what we see today has come to pass; that elephant truly did bring about its own demise. This was unthinkable over two decades ago; the entire world would have deemed it impossible. Yet, here we are today. Everyone knows he is foolish, but he clings stubbornly to his pride. The foolishness of a leader is not the core issue; the real problem lies in the personal command. Xi Jinping's Chinese Dream = the nightmare of the Chinese people.'

Relentlessly maintaining the image of a 'great man.'

A reader named 'Qin Yue' on the People's Daily website remarked: 'Xi Jinping is widely regarded as a fool; however, this fool lacks self-awareness and harbours delusions of grandeur, attempting to leverage the Communist Party and the machinery of the dictatorship for his own benefit. He aims to craft an image of himself as a great leader capable of turning the tide, while amassing vast wealth for himself and his family. Yet, the core of a fool is empty and devoid of substance, which breeds a profound sense of inferiority. To mask this inferiority and uphold the image of 'one supreme leader,' he resorts to any means necessary. Beyond utilising the Communist Party's propaganda apparatus to constantly enhance his image, he also implements stringent public opinion monitoring to erase all negative comments about him online, and even persecutes those Chinese citizens who dare to openly express disdain for him. For instance, Dong Yaoqiong, who was hospitalised for the second time in 2018 after splashing ink on a portrait of Xi Jinping, released a video on Twitter on November 30, 2020, accusing the Communist Party government of ongoing repression against her. She declared that she is 'no longer afraid of the government' and is determined to fight for freedom.' She stressed that if she is hospitalised by the Communist Party again, she may never be released.

Many commentators have noted that Xi Jinping is one of the few dictators in thousands of years of history who has only committed wrongdoings without any notable achievements. Since taking office, he has failed to deliver a single benefit to the common people, squandering the substantial legacy left by the Hu-Wen era and leaving the national treasury depleted. Furthermore, he has forced the entire population to bear the consequences of his policy failures, imposing heavy tax burdens on the public. His real estate policies have plunged citizens into significant debt, resulting in widespread hardship. In their despair, many young people are choosing to 'lie flat,' rejecting dating, marriage, and parenthood. The actions of Xi Jinping are entirely consistent with the label of a ruler who leads a nation to ruin.

Zeng Jianyuan, a director at the Taiwan Huaren Democratic Academy, told The Epoch Times that Xi Jinping, in an effort to protect his image, does not tolerate criticism or public discussions about his statements. He has become irritable, sensitive, and suspicious. Within China, the authorities are investing heavily to craft Xi's so-called wise image while simultaneously suppressing various forms of mockery directed at him. They employ advanced technology to filter out unfavourable online comments about Xi, alongside extensive surveillance. 'Criticism of him could result in severe repercussions or political difficulties. The Chinese Communist Party has expended considerable national resources to uphold him, which is, in fact, a spectacle.'

Zeng Jianyuan stated that Western political leaders should not feel obligated to spare Xi Jinping's feelings; otherwise, they risk becoming accomplices by helping him conceal his wrongdoings. Publicly criticising the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can undermine its authority far more effectively and at a lower cost than economic sanctions or military pressure. This approach serves as the best defence against the CCP's expansion of power and can even be viewed as an offensive strategy in cognitive warfare. In reality, China's human rights issues—such as those in Tibet, Xinjiang, and concerning the Falun Gong—have not seen improvement over the years due to Western tolerance or expectations. During Xi Jinping's tenure, the human rights situation in mainland China has deteriorated further, now escalating to cross-border repression and challenges to the sovereignty of various nations. 'I believe we should consider countering the CCP based on the principle of reciprocity.'

Xi has sparked a diplomatic scandal.

Jie Lijian, the chairman of the International Alliance of Chinese Democrats, told The Epoch Times that Xi Jinping's insistence that other leaders refrain from publicly reprimanding him constitutes a diplomatic scandal in itself. This is because human rights represent a critical vulnerability for the CCP, which is akin to covering its ears while stealing a bell. Foreign leaders should openly criticise the CCP's human rights violations and must not yield. He cautioned Western politicians: 'Western countries, civilised nations, if you bow down or compromise with this rogue, it will only result in greater harm from the rogue, potentially leading to your own downfall.'

Chinese issues expert Li Linyi remarked that for many years, private discussions between Western nations and the CCP regarding human rights improvements have consistently failed. The CCP prefers that discussions occur privately, but insists that no public statements be made. This amounts to silence and complicity in the CCP's criminal actions. △