Canadian Prime Minister's Visit to China: Canada Seeks Strategic Autonomy and Energy Cooperation Amid Sino-US Rivalry
According to reports, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau will visit China from January 13 to 17, marking the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to China since 2017. The office of Trudeau stated that the visit aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in trade, energy, agriculture, and international security. Analysts generally believe that energy trade will be the focus during Trudeau's visit to China.
According to the Canadian "Globe and Mail", Trudeau hopes to use this opportunity to rebuild relations with China. During the administration of US President Donald Trump, the US protectionist tariff policy has become increasingly stringent, and Trudeau hopes to open up new export markets.
Canada is a country based on trade, and its economy is heavily dependent on foreign trade. According to Canadian statistics, in 2024, Canada's total goods trade amounted to 1.54 trillion CAD (equivalent to 1.11 trillion USD), an increase of 1.5% compared to the previous year. Of this, imports were 754.1 billion CAD, exports were 768.1 billion CAD, and there was a trade surplus of 14 billion CAD. The main exports include automobiles and parts, other industrial products, forest products, metals, and energy products; the main imports are machinery and equipment, automobiles and parts, industrial materials, and food. The main trading partners are the United States, China, Mexico, the UK, Japan, and EU countries.
Li Ruiju pointed out that China is a major importer of traditional fossil fuels (crude oil, natural gas, etc.), while Canada is a major exporter, and traditional energy trade is a key area of complementary trade between China and Canada. Trudeau's visit to China may promote the consolidation and expansion of traditional energy trade between the two countries.
According to the "Washington Post", the US tariff policy has prompted Canada to accelerate trade diversification and seek cautious reconciliation in bilateral relations after years of crisis. The report pointed out that Ottawa's policy shift resulted from Washington increasing tariffs on Canadian products and Trump's threat to "make Canada the 51st state". In this context, the Trudeau government announced a transition from "reliance on sustainability" and set a goal to double exports to countries outside the US by 2035. Currently, more than 75% of Canada's exports still go to the US.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854083870430211/
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