As China’s foreign minister visits Canada, a former diplomat shares insight on his personal life

China's foreign minister is in Ottawa for talks with PM Mark Carney and Minister Anand, marking the first visit of its kind in a decade. Abigail Bimman has more

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi is described as a “very senior trusted hand” who is also “very interesting,” according to a former Canadian diplomat who has met him on more than one occasion.

Gordon Houlden was posted to Beijing twice during a diplomatic career that included 22 years working on Chinese affairs for the Government of Canada.

He says Wang is “all business and a reliable transmitter” of Canada’s views to Chinese leadership, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Wang is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, known as the Politburo, the top leadership group of the ruling Communist Party.

Houlden says Wang is equipped to deal with trade issues of all kinds when working on the Canada file, such as EVs and energy, though his “natural default” is more political or foreign affairs-focused.

Now the director emeritus of the China Institute at the University of Alberta, Houlden shared what he believes to be a lesser-known fact about the foreign minister: he knows Peking opera.

He says he’s met the foreign minister “a couple times,” but one dinner stands out in his memory. It was years ago, when Wang was the then vice-minister of foreign affairs, and responsible for Asia.

“He started singing in Chinese opera. A very civilized man. Obviously a close confidante of the Chinese leadership.”

Speaking about Wang’s current visit to Canada, Houlden calls it “very significant” in terms of necessary follow-up in an era of deepening relations with China. It follows the prime minister’s recent visit to Beijing in January.

“Xi Jinping is not spending every day, not even every week, thinking about Canada. These things need to be pushed forward,” Houlden told CTV News.

Wang has taken no questions from the media during his visit. However, during brief remarks where cameras were allowed to be present at a working lunch with Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Wang spoke positively of the change in relationship with Canada.

Anand said the goal is to increase exports to China by 50 per cent by 2030, “while safeguarding Canada’s economic and national security interests and values.”

Wang countered that could reach 100 per cent growth, but also warned that a “commitment to mutual respect, to commonality despite differences, to independence and to mutual benefit” are important for both sides to “uphold.”

Houlden said in his experience, it’s both possible and necessary to “speak frankly” to Chinese leaders about Canadian concerns, such as human rights issues, especially behind closed doors. He said he guarantees China will speak frankly to Canada about issues on their side, such as Taiwan.