Canada, China enter new strategic partnership, Carney says in meeting with Xi Jinping

Former special advisor on U.S.-Canada relations Diamond Isinger says it’s still too early in Carney’s trip to China to know where Canada stands.

BEIJING — Speaking at the start of a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he is “extremely pleased” Canada and China are quickly forging ahead with a new strategic partnership.

Carney said the Canada-China partnership “will not only deepen our bilaterial ties to the benefit of our peoples, but will also – from our judgement – help improve the multilateral system – a system that, in recent years, has come under great strain.”

While details about the new partnership remain unclear, Carney told Xi he believes the two countries can make immediate and sustained progress in several areas, including agriculture, agri-food, energy and finance.

On Wednesday, the Canadian government signed a total of eight memorandums of understanding with the Chinese government, which include energy, the export of pet food, culture and tourism.

Xi told Carney he is “heartened” by the progress the two sides have made since “resuming and restarting” the relationship in recent months. He went on describe the leaders’ last meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea as a “turnaround” in the Canada-China relationship.

“A healthy, stable Canada-China is in the interest of our two countries and in peace and stability of the world,” Xi said through a translator.