China, Canada to safeguard global free trade

China is ready to work with Canada to safeguard a rules-based international order and free trade, promote trade liberalization and facilitate investment, Premier Li Keqiang told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday in Singapore.

Li also told Trudeau that China is willing to continue negotiations to reach a free trade agreement between the two countries based on mutual respect and pragmatism.

The two leaders were at the third China-Canada Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting.

Li said China and Canada are two important partners and have made positive progress from dialogue and cooperation in diverse fields. The regular meeting demonstrates the stable and growing ties between the two nations, he said.

The premier regarded the two economies as being highly complementary and having great potential for future cooperation. He said China is willing to continuously expand bilateral trade and investment, strengthen cooperation in aviation, environment, agriculture and the financial sector, and boost people-to-people exchanges.

Li said he noticed that Canada has clarified that the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement will not affect its autonomy in reaching free trade agreements with other countries. He called on Canada to work with China in safeguarding the free trade mechanism and boost trade and investment.

China is open to reforms to the World Trade Organization, but stresses that such reforms should be beneficial to a healthier development of economic globalization and protecting free trade, Li said.

Trudeau said Canada and China have kept good relations and the two sides have maintained close communication over the years, with stronger ties between the two peoples. Canada is willing to work with China in moving forward negotiations on a free trade pact and will not be affected by stances of other countries, he said. It will send a strong signal of furthering bilateral trade and economic ties and safeguarding free trade for the rest of the world, he said. Deeper cooperation in various fields can also create real benefits for both peoples, Trudeau said.

After the meeting, the two countries announced a joint declaration on coping with marine trash and plastics.

Also on Wednesday, Li met with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and attended the sixth China-Australia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.