Carney in China: Ottawa and Beijing Sign MOUs on Energy, Lumber
Udumbara
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Canada and China have signed several agreements to cooperate in areas such as oil, gas, and lumber, as Prime Minister Mark Carney and several of his cabinet ministers meet with Chinese officials in Beijing.
“This is not a one-and-done. We will be back here more, looking for more ways to get Canadian products into this country so more Canadians have good-paying jobs,” Hodgson said.
No deals have been announced on electric vehicles or agriculture tariffs imposed by China on Canada. Carney is set to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Jan. 16, and is expected to speak with reporters afterwards.
Carney met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the standing committee of the National People’s Congress, on Jan. 15. Carney also met with several businesses, including Alibaba, China National Petroleum, EV battery company Contemporary Amperex Technology, Primavera Capital Group, and China’s state-owned commercial bank, ICBC.
Carney and Li signed a series of MOUs in the areas of “energy, combatting crime, modern wood construction, culture, and food safety and plant and animal health,” as part of “a new strategic partnership,” the PMO said.
Carney also indicated potential further cooperation in the energy and agriculture sectors, the PMO said, adding that the two sides welcomed the renewal of engagement across areas such as “economic and financial issues, energy, security, and culture and people-to-people ties.”
The report said Carney and Li witnessed the signing of “multiple cooperation documents covering trade, customs, energy, construction, culture, and public security.”
“We desire a new strategic partnership with Canada,” Li said, according to Hodgson.
When asked by reporters in Beijing whether China is the right kind of partner for Canadian industries, given foreign interference, espionage, and human rights concerns, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said, “We’re eyes wide open. We know this, but there’s been investments by Canadian companies for years.”
Conservatives have criticized the Liberal government’s approach to China and Carney’s trip to Beijing.
LNG, Oil
Joly told reporters “there’s still negotiating happening” on Chinese electric vehicle tariffs. She said the prime minister will be able provide greater clarity on this subject after meeting with Xi on Jan. 16. She noted her team has been working on a “new auto strategy” to ensure auto production in Canada is favoured.Hodgson also told reporters that China will be an investor in LNG Canada Phase 2, as state-owned PetroChina is a partner in the joint venture of LNG Canada Phase 1. LNG Canada in B.C. became Canada’s first operational export terminal for liquified natural gas last summer.
Ottawa referred Phase 2 of the project to the Major Projects Office for steering in September. LNG Canada had not made a final investment decision about launching Phase 2 at the time.
When asked by reporters whether Canada is open to more investment from China in the oil sands, noting the Canadian government shut the oil sands off to further investment from China in 2012, Hodgson said China is “a major investor in the oil sands, both as an operator and as a passive investor.” He said that as long as China is a “responsible producer, we’re open to more investment from China.”
“Let me be clear—we are here because we share a goal. We share a goal on getting to net-zero,” Hodgson said. “We believe we have lots of common interests with respect to how we use clean energy to get there, and we have common interests on how to get there on a conventional basis.”
Conservative MP Dean Allison criticized Hodgson’s comments, saying “net zero” for Canada means “net advantage” for China.
