Ottawa (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday called discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping a “turning point” in ties, stating he had talked about tricky issues like foreign interference with China.
The leaders of both countries held their first formal talks since 2017 on Friday. They called for improving relations in a pragmatic and constructive manner, according to both sides.
What did Carney express regarding the meeting?
“We have now unlocked a path forward to address current issues,” Carney briefed journalists in Gyeongju, South Korea, referencing China. “Our overall discussion was constructive,”
he also said.
He said Saturday he had accepted an invitation from the Chinese leader to visit “in the new year”.
“I directed our ministers and officials to work together to find solutions to current challenges and to identify areas for cooperation and growth,”
he said.
The Canadian statement also indicated that both leaders instructed their officials to act swiftly in resolving trade issues and irritants, and they discussed solutions for specific products like EVs, canola, and seafood.
How is Xi Jinping framing the future of bilateral relations?
Xi was quoted as saying that relations are improving, thanks to the joint efforts of both sides.
“We are willing to work together with Canada to take this meeting as an opportunity to promote the return of bilateral relations to a healthy, stable and sustainable track as soon as possible,”
Xi said, according to an official report distributed by China’s state media.
He also advocated for broadening “pragmatic” collaborations in fields like the economy, trade, and energy.
What caused tensions between Canada and China in 2018?
According to reports, relations sharply deteriorated in late 2018 after Canadian authorities detained a senior Huawei executive amid its extradition deal with the US. Subsequently, China arrested two Canadian citizens and accused them of espionage.
Ties did not significantly improve even after the 2021 release of the two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, and the Chinese executive Meng Wanzhou, who is Huawei’s founder’s daughter.
When was the last time both countries’ leaders met?
The last engagement between the leaders of both countries occurred on December 5, 2017, when President Xi Jinping met with then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
Xi Jinping pointed out that the maintenance of close exchanges between Chinese and Canadian
leaders has played an important role in the development of bilateral relations. Xi Jinping stressed that enhancing political mutual trust is the prerequisite for the stable development of state-to-state relations.
