00:00Graeme Shantz is the president of the Canada-China Business Council.
00:05I think in the first instance, it re-establishes the habit of meeting between the Canadian leader and Chinese leadership, which is very important.
00:15Secondly, I think they'll have to address some of the irritants, trade irritants, trade and goods irritants that are ongoing.
00:22And finally, I think it's really important that at this moment, in terms of the global economic system, that we have a prime minister in Canada very capable of talking about the flows of capital, the flows of goods and the overall global economic framework.
00:38And China, as the second largest economy in the world, has a critical role to play in the decade ahead in terms of managing the global economic system.
00:47This visit comes as U.S. tariffs and this America First policy is hitting Canadian exporters and pushing Ottawa to diversify.
00:56How much of the trip is really about managing the pressure from the U.S.?
01:02The domestic economy in Canada, it's true, is in a bit of a soft patch, but it's still growing.
01:07We're not in recession.
01:08At the same time, you're correct, the prime minister has identified the importance of doubling non-U.S. exports as a percentage of total Canadian exports by 2035.
01:20China clearly plays a critical role to that objective.
01:24And I'm delighted in our membership of the 300 members of the Canada-China Business Council are delighted to see that emphasis.
01:30You mentioned climate change, alternative energy.
01:35Of course, we know that the energy transition is high on almost every agenda around the world.
01:40Where do you see realistic and specific opportunities for green cooperation between China and Canada?
01:48China has a lot of technology and capacity in the area of solar and wind and indeed systems.
01:55Also, in terms of transportation, so tremendous capacity on the Chinese side.
02:01We have capacity in Canada as well in terms of the intellectual property underpinning it, as well as government targets with respect to the energy transition.
02:11So I think there's a lot of space in that area, and there could be some concrete projects over time that might develop that would be appropriate for the two countries' investment in two-way flows in this space as well.
02:25You speak regularly with members of the business council.
02:28What's the most important message that you are hearing from them ahead of this visit?
02:34No, I think from a perspective of Canadian exporters, but Canadian investors, and also the people-to-people ties that we have reflected in the membership of the Canada-China Business Council.
02:46So this is education and other areas, tourism.
02:50But I would say that I think it's critical for China at this point in time to continue to play a role that it played in the great financial crisis, for example, in 2008-2009, as a stable source of final demand for the global economy.
03:05I think for our companies and our members, China continuing to play that role is critical.
03:11For example, the China import exhibition that's held every year in Shanghai is a critical signal.
03:18So China's market remaining open, remaining welcoming of foreign goods, remaining welcoming of foreign investment, is a critical role from our members' perspective in the years ahead.
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