Canada and China can achieve a win-win situation as the two economies are structurally complementary, said a think-tank expert in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Saturday.
Paul Samson, president of the Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), an independent, non-partisan think-tank on global governance based in Canada, said despite that there are also some irritants in the Canada-China relations, he believes that the strategic dialogue between the two countries can solve the problems.
"The two economies are complementary structurally. They complement each other -- natural resources, energy, finished products. There's an easy win-win space there for Canada and China. We have some irritants, as well, that I think the strategic dialogue can start solving as well," he said.
Samson also said that he believes the government of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will roll back some of the tariffs imposed by Canada, which is in the interest of the country.
"The Carney government has the guts and the desire to do what's in Canada's interest. I think they will be willing to roll back tariffs. Right now, we've got tariffs imposed on Canadian goods from the United States and we have them imposed by China. Canada has got to find a way to negotiate with both simultaneously," he said.
Carney, who was on an official visit to China from Wednesday through Saturday, said on Friday that his visit to China had been "historic and productive" and that the two sides had made significant progress in several key areas, underscoring the importance of trade ties between the two countries.
China and Canada have reached specific arrangements to properly address trade issues related to electric vehicles, steel and aluminum products, canola, and agricultural and aquatic products, China's Commerce Ministry said on Friday.
The two sides have also reached positive consensus on increasing direct flights, improving the business environment, and inspection and quarantine of agricultural products, it said.
Canada, China can achieve win-win situation: think-tank expert
Canada, China can achieve win-win situation: think-tank expert
The box‑office sensation "Dear You" is not only winning hearts worldwide — it's also fueling a tourism boom in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong, with searches and bookings for filming locations skyrocketing and international visitors, especially from Southeast Asia, making the journey home.
The film, known as "Love Letters to Grandma" in Chinese, was shot entirely in the Chaoshan, or Teochew, dialect. It centers on "qiaopi", a unique form of correspondence that combined letters and remittances sent home by earlier generations of overseas Chinese in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Set against the distinct backdrop of Teochew Chinese culture, the narrative highlights the historic diaspora experience, capturing universal themes of displacement, nostalgia, and memories passed down through generations.
Since its initial April 30 release in the Chinese mainland, the low-budget drama has grossed over 2.1 billion yuan (about 310 million U.S. dollars) at the global box office.
Hou Yinan, an overseas Chinese from Spain, watched the film during her summer visit to China. She was deeply touched by the heartfelt stories behind those old overseas Chinese letters.
"Before I saw this movie, I thought of 'qiaopi' as nothing more than museum pieces. But the letters in the film — each one of them — told a story of a relationship that lasted almost 50 years," said Hou.
Hou's trip didn't end at the cinema. She made her way to Longhu Ancient Village in Chaozhou's Chao'an District, where scenes of a Thai Teochew association hall and ancestral temple were filmed. And she wasn't alone.
"I felt like I'd traveled through time. The movie showed us all these old Teochew homes and traditions, and how the Chinese who left here spread across the globe. And now here we are, coming back from everywhere to this very place — it's a homecoming, a roots trip," said Hou.
The small park in Shantou, which served as the backdrop for the film's scenes of early emigrants heading south, is now packed with tourists strolling among its century‑old arcades.
Local shops are cashing in on the film's popularity with movie‑themed offers. Among the visitors was Yu Shiyang, who had traveled all the way from Canada with her family to explore the filming site.
"A few days ago we went to see that bridge from the movie, checked out the 'qiaopi' museum, and caught a Yingge dance performance. The kids were all really into it," said Yu.
At Shantou's old post office, children were busy writing and sending letters to friends abroad.
"This one's for Jaden and this one's for Albert. They live in Canada," said Yu Jiaqi.
"I want them to be happy," added Zhang Jiaying.
"I want our traditions to live on in them. I don't want them to lose it just because they grow up abroad," said Yu.
The growing fusion of film and tourism is putting overseas Chinese hometowns on the map.
Xu Zihui, a local guide, said he has so far hosted 10 groups of overseas Chinese travelers — around 50 to 60 people in total.
"Thanks to the film, places that were off the radar are suddenly packed with tourists. I'm getting tons of requests — families, groups of friends, and we already have over a hundred people lined up for next month," said Xu.
The film has given a major boost to tourism in the Chaoshan region. Online searches for Shantou, Chaozhou, and Jieyang have stayed strong since the movie hit theaters, and bookings for the Chen Cihong Former Residence, a key filming site, have jumped 1.2 times year on year.
Overseas visitors to Shantou — particularly from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand — have risen sharply, with flight bookings from Malaysia climbing 67 percent.
Movie sparks homecoming tourism boom among overseas Chinese
