BEIJING: Development of China-Canada relations has shown that despite their different social systems and development paths, the two countries always share broad common interests and vast space for cooperation and can totally become partners of common development based on mutual respect, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remark while meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, in Beijing.
Wang noted that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Canada, adding that Anand’s visit to China has provided an important opportunity for both sides to further promote bilateral relations.
China is willing to work with Canada to enhance communication, eliminate interference, and rebuild mutual trust, he said, expressing hope that Canada will adhere to the one-China principle and safeguard the political foundation of bilateral ties.
Wang said China is ready to work with Canada to restart dialogue and exchanges at all levels, promote the resolution of each other’s legitimate concerns, explore cooperation in various fields, expand people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen communication and cooperation on multilateral affairs.
The Chinese foreign minister also called for jointly safeguarding multilateralism and maintaining the international economic and trade order to push for China-Canada relations back on a track of sound, stable, and sustainable development.
Stressing that the Global Governance Initiative proposed by China is in line with the trend of the times and has received positive responses from various parties, Wang said it is hoped that the Canadian side will support the initiative.
Anand said currently, the relations between the two countries are improving with positive progress.
She called on both sides to build four pillars of economic and trade cooperation, security cooperation, global governance, and people-to-people exchanges to elevate the Canada-China strategic partnership.
Canada adheres to the one-China policy and is ready to enhance high-level exchanges with China, deepen mutual trust, make good use of dialogue and consultation mechanisms in fields such as diplomacy and trade, and promote cooperation in trade, agriculture, tourism, energy, culture, and other fields, she said.
Canada firmly supports multilateralism and will work closely with China to safeguard the United Nations and support free trade, she added.
