The canola issue had cast a shadow on Trudeau’s maiden visit to China, with a high-level Canadian delegation visiting Beijing to meet Chinese officials earlier this month to resolve the issue.
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“We can be a great partner for China but our government is taking our time”.
Trudeau’s visit carries with it a bit of historic nostalgia as it was his father Pierre who was among the first Western leaders to visit China in 1973.
Farmers across Canada breathed a sigh of relief as China promised an extension on Thursday’s fast-approaching deadline to introduce rule changes on Canadian canola shipments – a dispute that had threatened to inflict damage on the multibillion-dollar agricultural sector.
China and Canada have agreed to negotiate further to find a long term solution to the impasse over canola imports from the latter.
President Xi Jinping called for linking China’s and Canada’s development strategies and promoting a series of “landmark projects”, while meeting on Wednesday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The Chinese Premier said that the two sides have discussed establishing a dialogue mechanism on national security and law, and agreed to making full use of an annual meeting between foreign ministers.
Trudeau and his family arrive in Shanghai, China, where the prime minister hopes to strengthen Canada’s business and cultural ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
However, state-run media outlet Xinhua News Agency criticised Canada for marring a potentially fruitful relationship by expressing “groundless” human rights concerns, following comments made by the Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques.
Following successful meetings, the two countries announced several significant new initiatives spanning culture, tourism, environmental cooperation, trade and investment, and the rule of law. Canada’s charming prime minister Justin Trudeau enters the Marvel Universe to fight evil-doers in the House of Parliament.
For its part, China has been urging Canada to negotiate a free-trade agreement.
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The prime minister presented China with two medallions by sculptor Dora de Pedery Hunt, who died in 2008. It will feature special promotions for unique Canadian products such as apparel, ice wine, maple syrup, seafood and health products.
