Chinese President Xi Jinping extends his hand as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduces the Canadian delegation before a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Wednesday.
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Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Chrystia Freeland said she understands the absolute importance of the two countries’ trade relationship, which includes billions of dollars worth of canola shipments.
China, the world’s new economic superpower, sees the dawn of a new Trudeau era in Canada as a “new opportunity” to strengthen ties between the two countries, Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui said in an interview last week.
The Globe and Mail reported in 1973, upon a meeting between Trudeau and Mao Zedong, that “the development of Canadian-Chinese relationship is bound to be a slow and patient process, but its potential for the future is great”.
Justin Trudeau wants to remake Canada into a bridge between China and the world, a bid to take back the role fashioned by his father more than four decades ago.
But Trudeau also told the crowd that China “should be able to ask for advice and take suggestions about how to be better” – a carefully worded message given China’s history of rebuking the appearance of condescension from foreign dignitaries.
“This is an issue that governments over the years have never got right”, said Alex Neve, director of Amnesty International Canada.
The tougher restrictions coming from China, Canada’s largest canola buyer, will mean grain traders will have to pass on the higher processing costs to farmers, said Rick White, CEO of the Canadian Canola Growers Association.
Similarly, he considered joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a multilateral non-profit financial institution driven by China, established in December 2015 which operations began in January.
“This is really for us, as a new government, the earliest possibility at which we could indicate our interest”, Canadian finance minister Bill Morneau was quoted as saying by Reuters.
They also failed to come to agreement on the issue of Kevin Garratt, a Canadian held in China who faces charges of stealing government secrets. Ritz offered Trudeau some advice when broaching China’s less-than-stellar human rights record: don’t do it in public.
Chinese officials have said it plans to loan out US$10-15 billion over the next five years. At least 40 million tonnes of canola seeds are shipped to China every year, amounting to 40% of Canada’s overall exports for the product.
“It’s important for Canada to have a stable, steady, constructive, effective relationship with China”, said Roland Paris, a former foreign policy advisor to Trudeau.
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“We’re happy to reassure Canadian farmers that (at) the September 1 deadline we will be able to continue with the current regime of canola and we (will) work together very closely towards a long-term solution in the coming days and weeks ahead”, Trudeau said.
