China says open to maintaining contact with Canada

ANKARA

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly that Beijing is open to maintaining contact and dialogue with Ottawa.

Wang and Joly spoke over the phone on Thursday and discussed the tense relations between the two countries.

"The current difficult situation in China-Canada relations is not what China wants to see, nor is it caused by China," Wang told Joly, according to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said Wang had a telephone conversation at Joly's request.

Wang added that relations between the two countries have reached a low point in recent years and urged his counterpart to interpret China's domestic and foreign policies objectively.

“Canada must earnestly implement its one-China commitment, maintain the political foundation of China-Canada relations, and not send any wrong signals to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” Wang said.

Taiwan has been seeking support from Western countries, including Canada. Last month, Ottawa signed a bilateral investment agreement with Taipei.

On her part, Joly said that her country is willing to use a more open, pragmatic, and constructive attitude to push bilateral relations back on track.

“Canada is willing to strengthen communication and dialogue with China, promote personnel exchanges, deepen economic and trade cooperation, and work in environmental protection, maintain close coordination and cooperation on biodiversity and international and regional issues,” said the Canadian foreign minister.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid