Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R front) meets with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 30, 2016.
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Trudeau and Li also announced an agreement to extend a September 1 deadline that China had imposed on Canada to tighten its screening of canola exports, which had threatened to lead to major losses for Canadian farmers.
“Canada was among the first western power to establish diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1970 and I hope to start the process of rekindling bilateral ties”, said Trudeau.
The two countries disagree about what level of “dockage” – foreign material such as weeds, other crops and detritus – should be considered acceptable in Canada’s canola exports to China.
China’s ambassador to Canada, Luo Zhaohui, has stated that Canada has been inflexible and unfair in its approach to talks that began about seven years ago over Chinese concerns about rules for the make-up of canola shipments.
“My government believes very, very much in the importance of investing in infrastructure”, Trudeau said Tuesday during a roundtable discussion with business leaders.
This time, a group of prominent women from across the country say Trudeau should direct the Crown corporation to live up its legal obligations on pay equity.
Last spring, the Chinese-led bank announced its 57 intended charter members.
Also Tuesday, Trudeau would not confirm Chinese reports that Canada is formally applying for membership in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, only saying Canada views the possibility favourably.
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.
Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters after Trudeau’s speech that Canada had made very clear what a key issue canola was. The first Chinese yuan clearing center in North America was launched in Toronto previous year.
Apart from Beijing, Justin Trudeau is due to attend the G20 Summit in Hangzhou next week.
“We should be open to the world and open to the future”, Ma said.
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“This isn’t always well received by populations and governments around the world”, he said. Last year, total trade between the two countries reached around 97 billion Candaian dollars – up 20 per cent from 2010.
