Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe has revealed that Canada has pulled out of free trade talks with China amid weak relationship over the arrest of a Huawei Executive and the detention of two Canadians in Chaina’s apparent retaliation.
According to South China Post, the announcement was made by the Minister Francois Philippe Champagne during an interview.
Talks between the two countries had stalled for more than a year and the ties between the two countries have deteriorated owing to Huawei Executive’s arrest.
During an interview with The Globe and Mail daily, Champagne said: “I don’t see the conditions being present now for these discussions to continue at this time. The China of 2020 is not the China of 2016.”
According to the Minister, China’s “arbitrary detention” of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor on suspicions of espionage, in a retaliatory step to the December 2018 arrest of telecom’s giant Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on the US warrant during her stopover in Vancouver are the major reasons why the talks were shelved.
Meng is wanted for an alleged bank fraud and violations of United States sanctions against Iran and has been battling extradition since.
While talking further, Champagne said: “Our first priority is to get the Michaels back home,” Champagne said.
“All of the initiatives and policies that had been put in place at the time [in 2016 with China] – all that needs to be reviewed.”
He added that Ottawa is “looking at all of them with the lens of China of 2020”.
In June, China banned importation of all meat from Canada and claimed that customs documents was forged by Canadian exporters.
