Advancing China-Canada relations represents right historical choice: Chinese FM

Facts have proven that the improvement and development of China-Canada relations serve the shared interests of both countries, are welcomed by the two peoples, and constitute the right historical choice, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Manila, the Philippines.

China-Canada relations have continued to move in a positive direction since the beginning of this year, Wang said.

In the first half of the year, bilateral trade volume grew by 16% year on year, with Canadian exports to China increasing by 23.3%. Agricultural products such as canola and beef have returned to the Chinese market, while Chinese electric vehicles have entered the Canadian market, offering more quality options for the people of both countries, according to the Chinese foreign minister.

Wang voiced China's readiness to work with Canada to implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, make good preparations for the next phase of high-level exchanges, enhance political mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation, strengthen coordination on multilateral issues such as global governance and artificial intelligence, and properly handle differences and sensitive issues.

China is ready to make joint efforts with Canada to continuously enrich the connotations of the new strategic partnership between the two countries, and inject greater certainty into a world fraught with turmoil and change, Wang added.

Anand, for her part, said that relations with China are among Canada's most valued bilateral ties.

Canada firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is ready to further intensify high-level exchanges with China, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as energy, trade, finance, and counter-narcotics, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, strengthen multilateral coordination, and bridge differences through dialogue, so as to promote the long-term, sound, and stable development of Canada-China relations.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern.