Canada Sees Room to Expand Trade Ties with Beijing Despite US Pressure

Canadian experts at a recent business roundtable in Vancouver say Ottawa has room to deepen economic ties with Beijing, despite pressure from the US. The Canada-China Economic and Trade Roundtable brought together nearly 70 participants from government, business, academia, and indigenous communities.

Jiang Wenran, president of the Canada-China Energy and Environment Forum, said the overall outlook for Canada-China relations was positive. He emphasized building on the established framework for cooperation to expand practical ties in areas such as energy, agriculture, basic manufacturing, seafood, environmental technologies, AI, the digital economy, critical minerals, and education.

Julian Karaguesian, an economics professor at McGill University, said Ottawa's interests don't always align with Washington's approach to China. He noted Canada is a 'natural resource superpower' and China is a 'manufacturing superpower', making them complementary economic partners.

Karaguesian predicted that if geopolitical factors were less restrictive, Canada's trade with China could be significantly larger, potentially three times what it is today. He emphasized the necessity of diversifying trade relationships amid uncertainty in ties with the US.