A forum on trade and investment cooperation between China and Canada was held on Monday in Toronto, Canada, gathering more than 150 representatives from the political and business sectors of the two countries.
Jointly sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Canada China Business Council (CCBC), the forum featured Ren Hongbin, chairman of CCPIT, as the keynote speaker.
Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto Luo Weidong, CCBC Executive Director and COO Bijan Ahmadi, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Region Board of Trade Giles Gherson also attended the event and delivered speeches.
Canadian representatives expressed their optimistic views on the positive signals from the just-concluded fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, saying that it is the right time to deepen economic and trade cooperation with China when the global supply chain landscape is undergoing profound changes.
They expressed the willingness to take the annual China International Supply Chain Expo as a platform to utilize their strengths in financial services, resources and energy, advanced manufacturing, and agri-food to deepen strategic collaboration with Chinese enterprises.
"They are from different sectors -- from the education to minerals, technology, manufacturing, natural resources, agri-food. There are great potentials in each of these areas. The complementarity between our two economies is great and significant, so there are opportunities in different sectors," said Ahmadi.
The fourth China International Supply Chain Expo, which has been scheduled for June 22 to 26 in 2026, was also promoted at the forum. Currently, over 300 Chinese and foreign companies have signed agreements to participate in the event.
China-Canada forum on trade, investment held in Toronto
Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks about Iran seeking a ceasefire as "false and baseless," according to state-run Press TV.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei pushed back against Trump's remarks on social media platform Truth Social that the Iranian president "has just asked the United States of America for a ceasefire."
Trump added, "We will consider when the Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!"
Trump has repeatedly claimed in recent days that Iran is seeking negotiations to end the war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that messages have been exchanged between Iran and the United States through intermediaries over the past few days, but stressed that no negotiations have taken place.
On the same day, Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's President, released a letter addressed to the American people, saying the Iranian people harbor no enmity toward American people, accusing the U.S. administration of fighting Iran as a "proxy for Israel."
"The Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries," Pezeshkian said, adding, "Even in the face of repeated foreign interventions and pressures throughout their proud history, Iranians have consistently drawn a clear distinction between governments and the peoples they govern."
In response to Trump's threats of conducting large-scale strikes on Iranian energy facilities, he said attacking the country's vital infrastructure directly targets the Iranian people, stressing that such actions constitute "war crimes" and involve consequences extending beyond Iran's borders.
Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes against Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, while tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz by restricting passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.
Wednesday's report by The Telegraph quoted Trump as saying he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after the alliance failed to join the attacks on Iran.
Trump expressed dissatisfaction with NATO for "not being there," saying it was "actually hard to believe."
Responding to the U.S. president's remarks, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a press conference at 10 Downing that Street Britain would act in its national interest and would not change its position on the Iran war.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that France is not taking part in the U.S.-Israel military action. The Elysee Palace also reaffirmed that France's position remains unchanged.
Iran rejects Trump's ceasefire claim as "false and baseless"
