Canada has abandoned free-trade talks with China, says foreign minister
- ‘The China of 2020 is not the China of 2016,’ says Francois-Philippe Champagne
- Major policy reversal comes amid tensions over arrest of Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou and Beijing’s detention of ‘two Michaels’ in apparent retaliation
Canada has walked away from free-trade talks with China amid soured relations over a Huawei executive’s arrest and the detention of two Canadians in apparent retaliation, foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a newspaper interview on Friday.
Talks had stalled more than a year ago.
The decision to quit negotiations aimed at Canada becoming the first G7 nation to sign a free-trade pact with the world’s second largest economy marks a major policy reversal for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, which had pursued a deal since coming to power.
“I don’t see the conditions being present now for these discussions to continue at this time,” Champagne said in an interview with the Globe and Mail daily.
“The China of 2020 is not the China of 2016,” he said.
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China urges Canada to immediately release Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou
His comments represent a hardening tone toward China – more in line with the United States, Australia and parts of the EU – after exhaustive diplomatic efforts to soothe ties failed.
