Former Canadian PM Chretien sizes up Trudeau

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Europe

‍By CGTN's World Insight

"The young Prime Minister is well-known across the world, because he has a very interesting personality and he has a young team with a new generation. His father was my predecessor, and he was my successor," said Jean Chretien, who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003.

Straight shooter Chretien has never been afraid of controversy throughout his political life and once served as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources under current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s father, Pierre.

"I know him well, I think he is doing very well. Father Trudeau was the one to recognize China before America and others."

Chretien is keen to keep building trade and economic relations between Canada and China.

"I came to China when I was the Prime Minister many, many times. For the 10 years as the Prime Minister, I met the President of China 17 times. So I was close to China."

In 1994, Chretien visited China to open up trade channels: "In fact, the first investment China made abroad was in Canada, the partner was my family, it's profitable for both. Trade is the key."

Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien speaks to CGTN's World Insight. /CGTN Screenshot

"The world is very complicated today. Communications are not the same, communications are less reliable. People use all kinds of digital machines, we don't know whether it's true, whether it’s not true,” he said, talking about the problems of leadership in the modern world.

"There was no tweeting in my time, everything was more serious, so it's complicated."

World Insight with Tian Wei is a 45-minute global affairs and debate show on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 10:15 p.m. BJT (1415GMT), with rebroadcasts at 4:15 a.m. BJT (2015GMT).

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