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 â 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 â 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 â but not an end to â a tariff dispute affecting electric vehicles and canola. Industry Minister MĂ©lanie 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.
