On October 31st, during the APEC Summit, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a meeting with Chinese officials as desired, which was the first formal meeting between the leaders of China and Canada since 2017, and both sides released positive signals after the meeting.

Firstly, Trudeau expressed on social media that he was "very satisfied" with this meeting, praising it highly, and explicitly stated that "it is a turning point for Sino-Canadian relations."

He also clearly expressed that the two countries would reshape bilateral relations with a pragmatic and constructive attitude, and will take concrete actions to solve current unresolved trade problems and disputes.

At the same time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also released relevant information, stating that China and Canada have reached a consensus to resume and restart exchanges and cooperation in all fields, and promote the resolution of specific economic and trade issues of mutual concern.

According to details disclosed by the official website of the Canadian Prime Minister and the media, during the approximately 40-minute meeting, the two leaders discussed deepening cooperation in areas such as energy, agriculture, manufacturing, climate change, and international finance.

These areas are the core pillars of the Canadian economy and were the most affected sectors due to the deterioration of bilateral relations.

In fact, this "improvement" in Sino-Canadian relations was not accidental but a realistic choice made by Canada under the pressure of the "two-front trade war."

On one hand, Canada has long followed the U.S. diplomatic steps, but with the continuous enhancement of China's economic influence and the increasing U.S. protectionism, this "side-taking" strategy has become increasingly unsustainable.

Last year, Canada imposed unreasonable tariffs on electric vehicles from China, ignoring the goodwill shown by China. Subsequently, China took countermeasures against Canada's canola and other agricultural products.

This move directly hit its economic "weak spot," causing severe damage to its related industries, and since then, Canada has been seeking communication with China.

This shows that Canada now seeks to ease tensions only after feeling the pain of being retaliated against.

On the other hand, the Trump administration not only imposed high tariffs on Canada, but also recently terminated the US-Canada trade negotiations over an anti-tariff advertisement in Ontario province, and even threatened to impose additional tariffs on Canada.

The situation of being "attacked from both sides" has put great pressure on Canada's economy, and it desperately hopes to alleviate the pressure by improving relations with China, which is largely the core reason for Trudeau's proactive proposal for cooperation.

Additionally, Trudeau probably wants to accumulate more leverage before continuing to deal with Trump.

Interestingly, just as Trudeau met with China, Trump revealed on Air Force One that he had received an apology from Trudeau regarding the anti-tariff advertisement.

Trump accepted this, but still gave Trudeau a cold shoulder, emphasizing that he would not restart the US-Canada trade negotiations because of this.

Canada's diplomatic situation appears particularly delicate, as it was "cold-shouldered" by the U.S. less than 24 hours after showing friendliness towards China.

Nevertheless, whether this "turning point" in Sino-Canadian relations can be solid remains a real test, and it is certainly bound to face potential interference from the United States.

Currently, the tariff threats from the Trump administration against Canada have not been lifted. If Canada reaches a consensus with China on issues such as electric vehicle tariffs and canola trade, the U.S. may not rule out using the "review of the USMCA" as a threat to pressure Canada.

Nevertheless, this meeting has opened a window for communication between China and Canada. China has always adhered to the principle of equality and mutual benefit, and is willing to cooperate based on solving each other's concerns.

If Canada can genuinely take measures such as revoking unreasonable tariffs, it can truly find new growth points for its economy, making the "turning point" of Sino-Canadian relations from words into reality that benefits the people of both countries.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7567641297138303503/

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