In an Oval Office meeting last month with Trudeau, Trump said he would raise the plight of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in his planned meeting with Xi, as a favour to Canada. “I would like to caution the Canadian side against being too naive,” Geng told reporters after he was asked at a Beijing briefing whether Trump raised the matter with Xi. “First, it shouldn’t be so naive as to believe that asking its so-called ally to pressure China will work. “Second, it shouldn’t be so naive as to believe that its so-called ally will earnestly pursue a Canadian agenda. International Trade Minister Jim Carr scoffed at the suggestion Canada is naive in thinking its allies could help.

Source: National Post July 03, 2019 21:46 UTC