Beijing says Canada-China relations ‘at a crossroads’ after Trudeau’s ‘coercive diplomacy’ comment

China’s Foreign Ministry opened Dec. 27 news conference accusing Canada of 'misunderstanding' the communist regime and 'miscalculating' its approach to Beijing.

China’s Foreign Ministry says relations with Canada stand “at a crossroads” after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Beijing of engaging in “coercive democracy.”

Speaking to media outlets on Dec. 27, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused Trudeau of “misunderstanding” and “miscalculating” Canada’s approach to Beijing.

Zhao was responding to Trudeau’s comments in a year-end interview with Global News, where the prime minister suggested Beijing was playing democratic countries off one another and urged a “united front” against China’s “coercive diplomacy.”

“Does Canada see China as a partner or a rival? This is a fundamental question bearing on the future of bilateral ties that Canada must think through,” Zhao said, prompted by a question from state broadcaster China Central Television.

“China attaches importance to relations with Canada and holds that we should grow bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.… Canada should replace its wrong perception of China with an objective and rational view, adopt a positive and pragmatic China policy, work with the Chinese side in the same direction and bring bilateral relations back onto the right track of development.”

Speaking to Global News’ Ottawa bureau chief Mercedes Stephenson earlier this month, Trudeau said the Chinese communist government has used its economic heft to “very cleverly” play democracies off one another.

Trudeau told Stephenson he believes democratic countries need to do a better job at countering Beijing’s tactics.

“We compete with each other. We’re trying to see how could we get better access for Canadian beef than Australian beef to this country or that market,” Trudeau said.