“First and foremost, this visit is about renewing and deepening the relationship between the people of Canada and the people of China”.
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On Wednesday, Canada’s ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, said the country has been moving backwards over the past three years when it comes to personal freedoms, particularly its censorship of the Internet. Justin Trudeau took office in November. Asked about the remarks, Saint-Jacques denied that the two sides had agreed to begin formal negotiations.
President Barack Obama is expected to meet later Saturday with his Chinese host, President Xi Jinping.
The fears centre on so-called blackleg, a fungal disease which the Canola Council of Canada says “can cause significant yield losses in susceptible varieties”, and can affect related plants such as sprouts and broccoli too.
“That’s what we’re working on right now and I’m confident we’re going to get there”.
The pavilions are promoted as cutting intermediary costs usually associated with cross-border trade for Chinese consumers and reducing the risk of buying fake products.
Li added that they have agreed to launch a feasibility study of a China-Canada free trade area as early as possible.
While Trudeau has said he hopes to broaden trade with the growing superpower, he has been cautious about stating he would like pursue formal talks.
Trudeau arrived in Beijing for his first official visit since winning election previous year late on Tuesday.
Trudeau said that the two sides will step up trade and investment.
Trudeau told a joint news conference that prior to his trip, China-Canada relations had “somewhat lacked in stability and regularity”.
For more on the relationship between China and Canada, CRI’s Doris Wang spoke to former premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, Jean Charest.
Outside the Great Hall and across the square, Chinese flags fluttered alongside the Maple Leaf. The Chinese government wants the contamination cut by more than half.
However, Mr Li underlined the concerns to Chinese canola producers over importing disease from Canadian shipments of the rapeseed variant.
There was no public discussion by name about the case of Kevin Garratt, a Canadian imprisoned for more than two years in China on espionage charges, although Trudeau said he has “highlighted a number of consular cases” at every opportunity.
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Trudeau himself has indicated in the past that there’s no evidence to support the accusations against Garratt.
