Beijing: It was a question Wang Yi did not like one bit.

The Chinese foreign minister had just hailed a "new golden age" of China-Canada relations during a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa. But that was before a joint press conference with his counterpart Stephane Dion, where a Canadian journalist asked a pointed question about China's human rights record.

With a reputation for being ashen-faced even at the best of times, Mr Wang appeared visibly rattled – and angry – as he launched into a lengthy tirade over what he said was an "arrogant" and "irresponsible" line of questioning.

"Your question is full of prejudice against China and arrogance – from where I don't know," he said on Wednesday Ottawa time. "This is totally unacceptable."