Chinese Reporter Defends His Democratic Rights. In Canada.

Getting his knickers in a twist because everyone else was able to ask five questions, and the poor Chinese delegation only got to ask four, a Chinese reporter took matters into his own hands, grabbing a microphone from a staff member, prompting security  to haul him away from the press conference and briefly detaining him.

Speaking after the incident, Li Xue Jiang, Canadian bureau chief for the Chinese People's Daily said that

"The Prime Minister's Office shouldn't deprive my right. It's not democratic," without any irony whatsoever, adding that he wouldn't apologize, and that the Prime Minister should apologize to him saying "Why should I apologize? They should apologize to me for being unfair and depriving me of my right to ask a question."

The Prime Ministers office took a different view of the incident.  Commenting on Twitter,  prime minister's director of communications Andrew MacDougall wrote "Agree or disagree with how events are run, there was no excuse for the Chinese state reporter to get physical with our staff.  We will be raising the matter with the [parliamentary] press gallery and Mr. Li should apologize immediately."

 

 

 

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