Negotiating teams from the two countries were now meeting in Beijing, Canada’s Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said.
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The prime minister tried to sell China on the idea that strengthening its connection to Canada would ease global concerns about the stunning rise of the economic superpower.
Asked about the Garratt case, Li told a joint news conference with Trudeau that China and Canada would continue to communicate on the matter.
The four projects approved earlier this year addressed numerous concerns western countries had about the new bank, he said, including that China would use it to advance its own strategic and commercial interests.
The Beijing-headquartered multilateral lender, which began operations earlier this year, has been seen by some as a rival to the World Bank and the Philippines-based Asian Development Bank, which was founded in 1966.
International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland previously said the issue was of “absolute importance” to the Canada-Chinese trade relationship.
Trudeau said Canada and China were working “very closely toward a long-term solution in the coming days and weeks ahead”.
Canada’s announcement came during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to China, where he met Prime Minister Li Keqiang to try to strengthen ties before the G20 summit this weekend in Hangzhou.
Morneau is on a trip to China with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seeking to deeper ties with the world’s second-largest economy, a distinct change from his predecessor Stephen Harper who was more cautious in his approach to China.
Chu Jian, an expert with the Bejing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization, said that Trudeau wants to cement economic ties with China on the visit and that Canada wants “a piece of the pie” as an increasing number of Chinese companies eye investment opportunities overseas.
However, the poll also revealed that fewer Canadians believe the human rights situation in China is improving. In addition, Trudeau and Li agreed to establish a “new era” of practical cooperation between the countries in various fields.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who is travelling with Trudeau in Beijing, expects the bank to make an important impact on the global economy, and therefore the Canadian economy, through infrastructure investments.
Mr. Trudeau also made no apparent progress in securing the release of Canadian missionary Kevin Garratt, who China has accused of stealing state secrets.
Trudeau has indicated in the past that there’s no evidence to support the accusations against Garratt, though he did not say what China has told him about Garratt’s case.
“These tentative agreements, reached voluntarily by the parties, are an important reminder for us all that a fair and balanced collective bargaining process works and can achieve real results for Canadian workers and employers”, said Mihychuk’s statement.
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During his trip to China, Trudeau will also visit Shanghai and Hong Kong and attend the G-20 summit in Hangzhou on September 4-5.
