China berates Canada over diplomacy

BEIJING, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- China's prime minister has made the unusual move of publicly scolding Canada's prime minister in Beijing for taking five years to visit.

In front of a throng of reporters, Premier Wen Jiabao chided Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was "stone-faced," the Globe and Mail reported Thursday.

"This is your first visit to China and this is the first meeting between the Chinese premier and a Canadian prime minister in almost five years," Wen said through an interpreter. "Five years is too long a time for China-Canada relations and that's why there are comments in the media that your visit is one that should have taken place earlier."

Harper was swift with his rebuttal.

"I agree with you Premier, that five years is a long time," Harper said. "It's also been almost five years since we had yourself or President Hu (Jintao) in our country."

Harper's Conservative government has consistently decried China's human rights record and policy towards Taiwan and Tibet and the two countries have imposed various trade restrictions in the past five years.

So far during Harper's visit that ends Friday, the two countries have signed various agreements involving trade, tourism and cultural exchanges, the Canwest News Service said.