China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner after the United States, with trade past year exceeding $ 64.5 billion.
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“We have reached many new consensuses in economic and trade area”, Li said on Thursday, as quoted by Xinhua news agency, after signing several bilateral agreements with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“It’s probably safe to assume that the relationship with China is going to be tougher south of the border the day after the campaign than it is today, and I think the Chinese see Canada as a counterpoint to what’s happening in the United States”, said Charest, who has headed trade missions to China as premier and now does business there with the McCarthy Tétrault lawfirm.
Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who had already met in Beijing earlier this month, agreed to solve a drawn-out dispute over exports of Canadian canola, worth C$2 billion a year.
An article published by the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reports that Li referred to the economic and trade cooperation as “the engine of the ties between China and Canada”. The poll revealed that 46 percent of Canadians would support the agreement, which is 10 percent more than in 2014.
Trudeau added that maintaining stable relations with China is in the interests of both countries and he looks forward to bringing more opportunities for Canadians through relations with China.
Trudeau defended the move Wednesday against opposition charges that China’s frequent use of the death penalty, among other things, make it a poor choice for such a treaty.
Li also said that the two sides discussed cooperation in finance, tourism, law enforcement, as well as between their local governments.
China has embraced Trudeau in part because of his father, former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who in 1970 became one of the first Western leaders to establish diplomatic relations with Communist China. China has signed extradition treaty with more than 40 countries, including some developed countries in Europe.
We have created a dialogue, he said.
Seeking to reassure his hosts, Mr Li also said that while the death penalty was needed in China, Chinese law provides for the “humanitarian treatment” of accused persons.
Premier Li focuses on trade during meeting with TrudeauExploratory talks of a free trade agreement tops the agenda between the Chinese Premier and Canada’s Prime Minister at meetings in Ottawa. “We need to always bear in mind the larger picture of our relations and we need to recognize that our common interests far outweigh our differences'”. China is Canada’s second-largest single-country trade partner, according to statistics from the Canadian government.
In defending the extradition talks, Liberals have demonstrated a disquieting willingness to take China at its word, against all experience and historical indications.
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“We are going to continue to have frank, honest discussions about the things that matter to our people and to the worldwide community at large”, Trudeau said, adding that helping the middle class remains the dominant priority.
