As the prime minister prepares for a visit to China, MP Kody Blois, the parliamentary secretary, expressed that Mark Carney aims to “reset” Canada’s previously strained relationship with the Chinese government and explore economic opportunities between the two countries.
Blois mentioned in an interview on Rosemary Barton Live that the upcoming trip is part of an ongoing shift in the relationship, with Carney seeing potential for collaboration.
The prime minister is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to China, as stated by his office. Following this, he will travel to Qatar on Jan. 18 and then to Switzerland from Jan. 19 to 21 to participate in the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos.
The Prairie provinces will closely monitor the visit to China, urging Carney to lift the tariffs imposed on Chinese-made electric vehicles in 2024. In response, China imposed tariffs on Canadian canola, seafood, and pork.
Blois, who will accompany Carney to China, highlighted the federal government’s interest in collaborating on agriculture and agri-food. However, he refrained from providing specifics on expected outcomes next week when questioned by host Rosemary Barton.
Saskatchewan’s canola farmers have been significantly impacted by China’s tariffs, with Bill Prybylski, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, estimating losses of around $450,000 due to the tariffs.
Prybylski stated that while they managed their financial commitments with good yields in the past year, future spending decisions need to be carefully considered due to anticipated limitations.
The hope is for the visit to China to initiate discussions leading to tariff relief, although Ontario Premier Doug Ford emphasized the importance of maintaining tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Ford advocated for establishing a manufacturing plant in Ontario and emphasized the need to hold firm in negotiations with China.
The ambassador of China to Canada previously indicated that the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD had explored investment opportunities in Canada but faced obstacles and eventually withdrew.
Carney’s upcoming trip signifies the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to China since 2017. Tensions between the two nations escalated in 2018 when China detained two Canadians following Canada’s arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Huawei, at the request of the U.S.
Jody Thomas, former national security adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, emphasized the importance of engaging with China despite past challenges, stressing the need for Canada to maintain relationships with major global economies like China and India.
Michael Kovrig, one of the Canadians previously detained in China, supported expanding trade relations as long as they do not compromise national security.
Blois emphasized the necessity of dialogue with the Chinese government to explore potential partnerships, acknowledging that there will be areas where agreement may not be reached. He stressed the importance of leader-to-leader meetings to facilitate productive engagement.
[Source](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carney-canada-china-trip-canola-tariffs-9.7041086)