The first sign of trouble: There was no staircase for Obama to exit the plane and descend on the red carpet.
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The leaders will also endorse a plan to help developing countries, especially in Africa, lift themselves out of poverty over the next decade and a half.
And then there were the altercations.
US President Barack Obama has tried to downplay a row between US and Chinese officials upon his arrival in China for the G20 Summit, saying the incident should not be overblown.
A spat between a USA aide and Chinese official has given President Barack Obama an awkward start to the G20. When a reporter seems to express her right to be in the location, the official responds, “This is our country, this is our airport”.
“China’s interests, as well”, Obama said in the interview that was recorded before he left for China.
Bill Bishop, a China expert whose Sinocism newsletter tracks the country’s political scene, agreed that Obama’s welcome looked suspiciously like a deliberate slight intended “to make the Americans look diminished and weak”.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself was expected to discuss the subject when he met with European leaders on the margins of the G20 leaders’ summit in China, International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said.
Concerns about the impact of protectionist sentiments on key Canadian trade talks led senior government members to dedicate some of their scarce face time to the issue Sunday with G20 peers.
“When it comes to issues related to security, if you sign a treaty that calls for worldwide arbitration around maritime issues the fact that you’re bigger than the Philippines or Vietnam or other countries, in and of itself, is not a reason for you to go around and flex your muscles”. And when it comes to combating climate change, that’s what we’re doing. And we don’t leave our ideals and values behind when we take those trips’. It’s not the first time it’s happened.
Some of the behind-the-scenes images we’ve seen from the airport include the sight of USA security personnel standing on the tarmac with binoculars, surveying the surrounding area. A White House official tried to intervene stating that the US would set the rules for where the photographers positioned themselves.
Mr Obama later said the altercations between the USA and Chinese officials should not be overblown.
In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in a joint statement with US President Barack Obama that India had begun the processes to enable the Paris deal to enter into force, it said. “And I think that America will do that this time, as well. An impoverished and collapsing China would be unsafe for everybody”, Obama said.
Herman said softwood talks have been further complicated by the fact the existing agreement expires October 15 – right in the middle of the US election campaign.
Ahead of the summit, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that it’s tempting to fall into divisive, fearful rhetoric. “They probably find it a little overwhelming as well”.
Kerry has said the United States won’t accept just any deal just to have it collapse again.
“I wouldn’t overcrank the significance” he said.
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“That’s one of the things we have to be strongly compelling in standing against”, he warned.
