China's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that China and Canada have reached specific arrangements to address trade issues involving electric vehicles, steel and aluminum products, canola, and agricultural and aquatic goods.
The announcement followed a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Beijing earlier the same day. At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Carney paid an official visit to China from Wednesday to Saturday.
According to the arrangements, Canada will reduce its 100 percent tariff to 6.1 percent on up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles annually, said the ministry.
During Carney's visit to China, the two sides issued a joint statement on Friday, saying that leaders of both countries welcomed the progress made in recent bilateral dialogues.
The leaders committed to strengthening exchanges at all levels and to advancing outcomes in macroeconomic engagement, economic and trade cooperation, energy, finance, public security and safety, people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges, and multilateralism, said the statement.
The two sides decided to reinvigorate the high¬-level China-Canada Economic and Financial Strategic Dialogue to discuss wide ranging related issues to strengthen bilateral economic relations, according to the statement.
They also signed an economic and trade cooperation roadmap, and agreed to support exchanges and cooperation in clean energy, and strengthen cooperation in conventional energy such as oil and gas resource development, it said.
Canadian PM concludes China trip with agreements on trade, tariff reduction
Canadian PM concludes China trip with agreements on trade, tariff reduction
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that the red line on protecting civilians in conflicts must not be crossed.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Abdullah briefed Wang on the regional situation and the UAE's position, saying the country is not a party to the war, has not participated in the current conflict, and should not be subjected to illegal attacks.
He expressed appreciation for China's consistent objective and impartial stance, adding that the UAE expects China to continue to play an active and important role in the current grave circumstances to prevent further escalation of regional tensions.
The UAE will continue to take measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in the country, Abdullah said.
For his part, Wang reiterated China's principled position on the current situation in Iran, noting that the spillover of war serves no one's interests and that the people of the region would be the ones to suffer.
He stressed that non-military targets related to energy, economy and people's livelihoods should not be attacked, and that the security of shipping routes must be safeguarded.
Wang noted that the UAE had worked for peace even before the conflict broke out, and that a recent foreign ministers' meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to overcome the current crisis and safeguard regional security, which China appreciates.
China backs the UAE's legitimate demands to safeguard its national security and supports countries in the region in their continued efforts to resolve disputes through diplomatic means, Wang said.
China will not give up hope for peace and will continue to play a constructive role, Wang said, adding that China will send its special envoy on the Middle East issue to the region to conduct mediation efforts to help bring the region back to peace and stability.
Wang also expressed hope that the UAE will continue to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country.
Chinese FM says red line on protecting civilians in conflict must not be crossed
