Trudeau visit focuses on trade
Canada PM kick-starts trip by highlighting tourism draws
BEIJING: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a visit to China focused on trade with a stop at a Chinese social media giant where he talked up the advantages of travel to his homeland.
Accompanied by four Cabinet ministers yesterday, Trudeau also met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
“It’s rare to have such a close, intimate relationship where we have mutual exchanges of visits along with such dialogues,” Li told Trudeau in remarks at the start of their meeting. “China-Canada relations are indeed headed toward a golden stage.”
Trudeau responded that the opportunities for deepening ties between the countries’ economies and people are “tremendous”.
“Canada is deeply interested in further engagement and trade across the Pacific and I know we’re going to continue to have wonderful and fruitful discussions now and in the future as well,” Trudeau said.
The two leaders oversaw the signing of three documents related to trade in food products, energy cooperation and education, though no details were provided.
Accompanied by four Cabinet ministers, Trudeau was due to hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang yesterday before meeting with President Xi Jinping today.
At Sina, owner of the phenomenally popular Twitter-like Weibo microblogging service, Trudeau took part in a panel discussion that touched on Canadian tourism draws, as well as the nation’s beer and wine, according to Chinese and Canadian reports.
Next year marks the ChinaCanada year of tourism and Canada is hoping to double the number of Chinese tourist arrivals.
China and Canada are also in exploratory talks on a framework for a trade agreement, although reports say Ottawa has been pushing for provisions on the environment, governance, labour and gender issues.
China has positioned itself as a leading advocate of free trade, particularly since President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Canada has remained part of a pan-Pacific trade deal called the Trans-Pacific Partnership, even after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement.