Trudeau backs Chinese protesters, says China 'an increasingly challenging economic power'

Asked about his opinion on China's current presence on the world stage on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Communist country has become "an increasingly challenging or disruptive global economic power and we have to be thoughtful on how we engage in commercial or economic ties that could benefit our citizens." Commenting on the recent protests in some Chinese cities over the country's no-COVID policy which implements strict lockdown measures, Trudeau said that "it's really important that citizens be able to make themselves heard, that they are protesting on a specific issue that touches on so many others - of government control of authoritarian states -- we, of course, stand with those protesters."