Chinese, Canadian FMs signal consensus on trade liberalization

China and Canada saw eye-on-eye about global trade liberalization as foreign ministers of the two nations met on Saturday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland on the sidelines of the 53rd Munich Security Conference, which opened on Friday afternoon.

Wang reminded the successful exchange of visits in a short time period between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last year, during which both sides had reached important consensus on deepening bilateral cooperation.

The China-Canada relations, Wang said, maintain a momentum of sound development, with both sides showing mutual respect and understanding on issues related with each other's core interests.

Wang said China is ready to work with Canada to expand cooperation in all fields and elevate the China-Canada strategic partnership to a new level.

China and Canada, Wang said, can jointly push forward the process of trade liberalization and advance globalization in the direction of more inclusiveness and shared benefits.

Freeland responded by saying that on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win outcome, Canada is willing to continue deepening economic and trade cooperation with China.

Canada would also step up the feasibility study over a Free Trade Agreement with China, and thereby set a new benchmark in bilateral ties, as well as send a positive message of jointly safeguarding global trade liberalization to the international community, Freeland said.

Canada, she said, attaches importance to China's role in the international affairs and is willing to push forward multilateralism together with China. Endit