BEIJING: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Carney hailed a tentative agreement with China to co-operate more on clean and conventional energy.
Carney said that Canada is looking to enter a “new era of relations” with China and that the two countries signed a number of agreements this week on energy, agriculture and animal health. The prime minister said at the meeting that he is “extremely pleased” the countries are moving ahead with a new strategic partnership. Carney said the countries are focusing on areas where they can make historic gains — agriculture, energy and climate.”Together, we can build on the best of what this relationship has been in the past to create a new one, adapt it to new global realities to deliver stability, security and prosperity for our peoples,” he said.Officials are seen walking down a hallway.
The meeting is the second between the two leaders, following a discussion the two had on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea in October.Xi, through a translator, said on Friday that the summit in South Korea was “a very good meeting,” which “marked a turnaround in the China-Canada relations and placed it on an upward trajectory.
“Carney’s 1st day in China secures agreement on energy — but no tariff breakthrough yet”. A healthy and stable China-Canada relationship serves the common interest of our two countries … it is also good for the peace, stability and prosperity of the world,” he added.
Before the trip, Canadian officials told reporters to expect possible movement on — but not an end to — a tariff dispute affecting electric vehicles and canola. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said that negotiations were still ongoing about the issue and that Carney would have more to say about the talks after he meets with Xi.
