Speaking to powerful Chinese businessmen in Beijing, the prime minister said he intends to make real progress on a renewed relationship between the two countries.
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He is scheduled to meet with both Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping Wednesday.
In Beijing, he won agreement to two new sets of regular high-level meetings between the two countries, one between leaders and another to discuss security and rule of law issues.
Acknowledging that China is a source of major investment and trade and will likely become more significant as the Chinese middle class grows, the piece asserts that Canada should not exchange its national interests for “opulence”.
Li insisted that China is a country of the rule of law and said judicial authorities would handle cases in strict accordance with the law.
The Canadian prime minister is accompanied by his wife Sophie Gregorie Trudeau and daughter Ella-Grace, as well as a government delegation that includes Foreign Minister Stephane Dion, Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland and Finance Minister Bill Morneau.
Government negotiators in China are working hard to resolve a dispute that could affect Canadian canola exports, says Canada’s worldwide trade minister.
Existing dockage rules that were set to change drastically as of September 1st have been extended as Canada and China try to reach a long-term solution.
Trudeau said that the two sides will step up trade and investment.
In an open letter to Mr. Trudeau sent last week, the Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China urged a “determined effort” to raise human-rights issue.
Asked if he had raised human rights concerns and the case of a jailed Canadian, Trudeau said he’s “highlighted a number of consular cases” every time he’s had the opportunity to sit down with Chinese leaders. The institution, launched a year ago, aims to boost China’s influence in global finance, although the US has yet to join and has questioned whether it will erode global lending standards.
Trudeau made the pitch during the first event of his week-long visit to China, where he aims to improve Canada’s gloomy growth prospects by deepening business ties with the rapidly growing Asian country.
A Canadian canola trader who was not authorized to speak publicly said it is unlikely additional shipments will be made until China’s position is clearer.
Trudeau is seeking deeper ties with China but a the canola spat, government divisions over China policy and the case of a detained citizen could limit his gains.
China’s ambassador to Canada said in an interview with The Canadian Press that his country has made progress in addressing worldwide concerns in recent years.
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“Over the past government’s mandate, unfortunately, relations with China were somewhat inconstant”, Trudeau told reporters Monday.
