REGINA — Saskatchewan's political leaders are both expressing cautious optimism over news that Prime Minister Mark Carney is going to China next week for talks on trade.
In a post on social media, Premier Scott Moe welcomed the news that Carney will make his first official trip to China as prime minister from Jan. 13 to 17. He indicated he is hoping to see progress from those meetings, including on the issue of canola tariffs imposed by China on Canada last year.
"Good to see PM @MarkJCarney will be in China next week advancing trade relations. Hope to see progress on advancing market access for canola and other Canadian products. If we are truly serious about securing, diversifying and expanding Canadian markets around the world, this is a country we should engage with in a serious way."
"I am glad to hear that Prime Minister Mark Carney will be travelling to China next week to advance trade and diplomatic relations," Opposition Leader Carla Beck said in a statement.
"The ongoing trade dispute between China and Canada has effectively shut off one of our most important markets for major agricultural exports, seriously harming producers across the province. We need to see concrete results from this visit to get those tariffs on canola lifted. Nothing short of that will do. Saskatchewan farmers feed the world — they need access to the Chinese market now."
In a statement from the prime minister’s office (PMO), Carney’s trip is described as building on his first official meeting with President Xi Jinping in October while attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in South Korea.
According to the PMO, the prime minister is set to meet with President Xi, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and other government and business leaders on the trip to "elevate engagement on trade, energy, agriculture and international security." The visit will also mark the first trip to China by a Canadian prime minister since 2017.
Premier Moe and a delegation that included federal parliamentary secretary to the prime minister Kody Blois travelled to China in September, where they met with Chinese officials on trade issues and sought to lift Chinese tariffs on canola and other products.
