Beijing, China - 8 November 2014
At the invitation of His Excellency Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid an official visit to China from November 6 to 10 in 2014, visiting Beijing and Hangzhou before attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting.
During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Zhang Dejiang, held meetings with Prime Minister Harper.
Throughout their meetings, both sides had in-depth, candid and productive exchanges on the Canada-China bilateral relationship, as well as on major international and regional issues of interest. Both sides reflected on their important roles in the Asia-Pacific region and agreed to commit to cooperate in many bilateral areas and international affairs.
The leaders reaffirmed the guiding principles outlined in the Canada-China Joint Statement of 2009 and the Joint List of Outcomes of 2012, as well as their commitment to strengthen the Canada-China strategic partnership in the spirit of mutual benefit, equality and mutual respect.
The leaders agreed to high-level exchanges, including at the leader-level, to expand practical cooperation and increase people-to-people exchanges and advance bilateral relations. Building off the recently-ratified Canada-China Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement, the leaders also agreed to advance and explore ways to expand the economic and trade relationship. The two sides agreed to further deepen the commercial relationship in the areas of agriculture, energy and civil aviation, expand cooperation in health and financial services. The two sides agreed to take measures to increase people-to-people ties. Both sides also agreed to maintain dialogue and exchanges on human rights consistent with the principles of the 2012 Joint List of Outcomes.
The two sides announced a series of important developments and signed relevant agreements. These include the following:
- The two sides agreed to establish the Foreign Affairs Ministers Dialogue and the Economic and Financial Strategic Dialogue.
- The two sides agreed to commit to support the use of local currencies in trade and investment. To this effect, the two central banks have signed the bilateral currency swap agreement and the MOU to establish renminbi clearing arrangements in Canada. Chinese regulators will grant an initial 50 billion yuan quota of investment to Canadian financial institutions under the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) program. The two sides believe such arrangements will help promote the stable and healthy development of a Canadian renminbi market.
- Both sides agreed on the importance to highlight trade services available in both countries.
- Recognizing the importance that agriculture plays in bilateral relationships, the two sides have agreed to sign a Phytosanitary Arrangement for permanent market access for fresh cherries to China.
- The two sides also agreed to sign the cooperative arrangement of intent to develop mutually decided upon phytosanitary condition for export of fresh blueberries to China.
- Both sides agreed to continue communication on market access for Canadian bone-in beef under thirty months.
- Both sides agreed to establish a Track II dialogue to study new approaches to enhance energy trade, including potentially an environmentally safe maritime energy corridor.
- The two sides signed an expanded Memorandum of Understanding on Nuclear Cooperation.
- Both sides signed amendments to the Canada-China Air Transport Agreement that allow airlines from both countries to offer more travel options for goods, services and people.
- Canada granted China Southern Airlines admission to the China Transit Program, granting transit to and from the United States without the need of a transit visa.
- Both sides are committed to establish new direct air links between Calgary and Montreal to Beijing.
- The two sides renewed the MOU on promoting cooperation in civil aviation industry.
- The two sides announced the conclusion of staged negotiations towards a bilateral aviation technical arrangement on airworthiness.
- The two sides announced increased cooperation in the health sector, including a Canada-China work plan to focus joint research efforts on infectious diseases, chronic disease, traditional Chinese medicine, food safety, health innovation as well as health emergency preparedness and response. The two sides also announced plans to celebrate 20 years of bilateral health engagement with commemorative initiatives in 2015.
- The two sides agreed to give positive consideration to the issue of establishing Canadian visa application centres in more Chinese cities.
- Both sides announced 2015-2016 as the Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges between Canada and China.
- Both sides agreed to make their best endeavours to successfully conclude the film coproduction treaty by the end of 2015 and significantly advance the negotiation of the television treaty in 2015.
- The Canadian side supports China in successfully hosting the 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM), and looks forward to the fruitful outcomes of the meeting, under the theme of "Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership", in priority areas of advancing regional economic integration; promoting innovative development, economic reform and growth; and strengthening comprehensive connectivity and infrastructure development. The two sides will continue to commit to strengthen cooperation under the APEC framework, and jointly make new contribution to the development, prosperity and progress of the Asia-Pacific.
- The two sides reaffirmed their intention to continue cooperation on combating transnational crime and corruption in accordance with their respective laws.
- The two sides agreed to enhance track two dialogues through the establishment of a panel, including the business community, to actively explore the way to deepen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade and economic relations.
