Cooperative ties serve common interests

Relations between China and Canada have been strained in recent years mainly due to the previous Canadian government aligning the country's China policy with that of the United States.

Continuing to follow the US' lead, Canada imposed 100 percent duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles last year. In response, China announced preliminary antidumping duties on Canadian canola seed. China is the largest export market for Canadian canola seed, representing 67 percent of the country's total canola seed exports.

Yet toeing the US line has not exempted Canada from the onslaught of the US trade war, which has shaken Canadian businesses and consumer confidence. The worsening economic picture at home, which some economists say may push the country into recession, has prompted Ottawa to try and recalibrate its relations with China.

During his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea, late last month, President Xi Jinping called on the two sides to foster objective and rational perceptions of each other, advance the development of bilateral relations from the perspective of the common and long-term interests of the two countries, and expand practical collaboration in the economy, trade, energy and other areas.

On his part, Carney said the new Canadian government is ready to seize the opportunity to improve and develop bilateral relations, making up for lost time and restarting bilateral cooperation in a practical and constructive manner.

This top-level communication has paved the way for the two countries to repair their mutually beneficial relations through resolving specific economic and trade issues of mutual concern, thereby jointly advancing the development of the China-Canada strategic partnership they founded 20 years ago.

In his telephone talk with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Tuesday, at the request of the Canadian side, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi rightly noted that following through on the consensus reached by the two leaders should be at the top of the agenda for improving bilateral relations.

It is good to hear that Anand said that Canada is willing to seize the opportunity to enhance dialogue and communication with China at all levels and across various fields in a joint effort to follow through on the important consensus reached by the two leaders.

In a sign that the two sides have already begun doing that, the two countries agreed to work jointly to facilitate new business opportunities, especially in the agriculture and agri-food products sectors, during Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald's recent visit to China.

His trip, which ended earlier this month, included meetings with senior Chinese government, research and commercial agriculture representatives who MacDonald said are willing to work together with the Canadian side on agriculture issues. "This is not 2018 anymore. This is 2025. It's a new (Canadian) government. We have a new leader. We want to do business," he said in an interview on Monday.

That the two countries are highly complementary in resource endowments and economic structures means there is huge potential for them to conduct practical economic and trade cooperation. But the prerequisite for fruitful cooperation is Ottawa establishing a correct perception of China and adopting a pragmatic and proactive approach to bilateral relations.

That means it must uphold its strategic autonomy in its China policy, and prudently handle issues related to China's core interest. Otherwise, Ottawa's efforts to mend ties will be in vain. To put the relations back on the right track should not be an expediency for Canada, but a shared commitment to the common good of the two nations.

It is natural that China and Canada should have differences in some areas from time to time. Yet the 55 years of history since the establishment of diplomatic ties has proven that as long as they uphold the principle of equality and mutual respect, and seek common ground while reserving differences, they will be able to promote their economic and trade relations and achieve mutual benefit.

China is ready to strengthen communication with Canada and take effective steps to accelerate the resumption of exchanges and cooperation in various fields, so as to consolidate the momentum for growing bilateral relations in a practical and constructive manner.

Hopefully, Ottawa has learned the lessons of the setbacks of Sino-Canadian relations so that it can reciprocate China's efforts to restore a steady development momentum in their relations.