SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE Free trade talks with China will not yet begin

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-china-meeting-1.4431136

Free trade talks with China will not yet begin

Meetings were widely expected to yield agreement to enter formal free-trade negotiations

By Chris Hall, CBC News Posted: Dec 04, 2017 6:36 AM ET

   
1634 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.



 
Cameron James

Labour and gender rights in China? Very unlikely to ever happen.

Content disabled.

David Raymond Amos

@Cameron James "Labour and gender rights in China? Very unlikely to ever happen"

Methinks that just maybe the top understatement within this comment section today

Content disabled.
David Raymond Amos

@Cameron James Strange Dayz in CBC I merely agree with your comment and get the dreaded "Content disabled." stamp of disapproval from the mindless minions called moderators. How on earth could that be offensive?

 

David Raymond Amos

@Cameron James Yo CBC what if I just said Good Day to Mr James would you block that too?

 
Val Graham

Good that Justin failed, Canada doesn't need a free trade agreement with China, keep doing that Trudeau - failing. Don't forget to do the same trick in 2019 ...

David Raymond Amos

@Val Graham There is far more to this than what CBC is reporting and you hero Harper and his new buddies (Chretien is one of them) within Dentons know it

 

Val Graham

@Richard Sharp Sharp, how many times I have to tell you to get out of my beloved forum, do it now and you'll have my respect.

David Raymond Amos

@Val Graham Now play nice kids This forum belongs to all of us. After all CBC is a Crown Corp financed by our tax dollars. The Fake Left spin doctors have every right to speak and or type their brains out just as the Neo Cons do

Kristoffer Luukski Gildenlöw

Hey where is Freeland aka "The Lady In Red" I would have thought she would spearhead this agreement just like the failed negotiations with NAFTA. One failure after another.

David Raymond Amos

@Kristoffer Luukski Gildenlöw "The Lady In Red" and Trudeau "The Younger" are no doubt rehearsing their act involving crocodile tears for the benefit of their fans at the circus called Parliament.

  

Terry Schein

It was rather naive to expect any kind of negotiation with China.
China is only concerned with the benefits to China - reciprocal benefits are unknown to them. Look forward to the robo-multi account thumbs down. Would be interesting to see where they are being initiated.

David Raymond Amos 

 @Terry Schein Methinks it should be obvious to anyone paying attention to Global issues why Trudeau "The Younger" got the bum's rush today

In a nutshell the Russians and the Chinese have been trading Yankee petrodollars for gold by the ton for years. There is an old rule that all Banksters worth their sand understand. "He with the Gold Makes The Rules" When the economy takes a a monumental nosedive Trudeau the Mouse who has been sleeping with the Elephant called Trump best jump out of bed quick or be squished.

Trust that the Chinese and the Russians won't care about "Free Trade" with anyone if they own them. I is not outside the realms of possibility that soon they will be able to buy anyone's assets for pennies on the pound once Trump and his mindless cohorts make a huge Faux Pas and the petrodollar becomes worthless paper or digital entries with the Federal Reserve System.

Trump can talk tough but the Russians, the Chinese and the Iranians are all close neighbours and have the military might to back NATO down.

Methinks we are witnessing the decline of the Western Powers and the the Dragons of the East that sailors of old spoke of are now peeking over the horizon N'esy Pas?

 
nancy leblanc

what an ego !!! did he really think that a country of 1.6 billion people was going to bow to a country of 30 million

David Raymond Amos

@nancy leblanc "what an ego !!! did he really think that a country of 1.6 billion people was going to bow to a country of 30 million"

Apparently so but watch for the Liberal spin on his spanking. Rest assured that I am enjoying the circus.

  

Gary Mickle

Hey Justin, a simple phone call would have found that out.......

David Raymond Amos

@Gary Mickle LMAO

 
Lil White

Trudeau's just not the Superman that he thinks he is.

Paul Reed

@Lil White

I don’t think there is any world leader that could influence China and their ways.

todd reaker

@Lil White

Don't tell Richard Sharp that !

David Raymond Amos

@todd reaker LOL Poor Tricky Dicky is having a bad day no doubt

  

Mike Smithy

2019 cant come soon enough. Canadians will tell the Liberals two words. No Deal.

David Raymond Amos

@Mike Smithy Heres hoping for a Minority mandate next time

 

Algernon Chalfont

Can you imagine the type of deals Justin, Chrystia and the rest of his affirmative action dreamers will negotiate with the shrewd, nationalistic and supremacist Chinese? Why not just sign the deed of our nation over to them? They are already buying us up.

Can you imagine the type of deals Justin, Chrystia and the rest of his affirmative action dreamers will negotiate with the shrewd, nationalistic and supremacist Chinese? Why not just sign the deed of our nation over to them? They are already buying us up.

Can you imagine the type of deals Justin, Chrystia and the rest of his affirmative action dreamers will negotiate with the shrewd, nationalistic and supremacist Chinese? Why not just sign the deed of our nation over to them? They are already buying us up.

David Raymond Amos

@Algernon Chalfont "brother, that much I do know. Harper was at least a little less dreamy and more intellectually competent."

Some of my coffer came out my nose as I read that. What you say is true but more to the point who is the more evil of the two when they both have the same puppet masters?

Algernon Chalfont

@David Raymond Amos ...their puppet master(s) are the truly evil ones.

David Raymond Amos

@Algernon Chalfont Wow lots of folks did not like you responding to me eh?

 

Paul Reed

Slim chance that China was about to cave to Trudeau's request to protect labor and gender rights.

David Raymond Amos

@Paul Reed Everybody knew that but Disn't Trudeau "The Younger" look handsome prancing around China until the shrewd old dude took the wind out his sails?

   

Mike Smithy

I have noticed whenever things are not going good in Canada, Justin always leaves. NAFTA on the back burner, Morneau still under the microscope, etc. You can almost hear Justin's private jet get ready for take off whenever the newest gaffe appears.

David Raymond Amos

@Mike Smithy The same can be said of Premier "The Tourist" Gallant

  

Free trade talks with China will not yet begin

Meetings were widely expected to yield agreement to enter formal free-trade negotiations

By Chris Hall, CBC News Posted: Dec 04, 2017 6:36 AM ET

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speak during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. (Fred Dufour/Pool photo via the Associated Press) 

Canada will not begin formal free trade talks with China — at least not yet.

Prime Minister Trudeau met Monday with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

A joint statement indicating talks would begin had been widely expected.

But the first clues that it might not happen emerged late in the day.

First, the private meeting between Li and Trudeau went on much longer than expected.
And a scheduled bilateral news conference was abruptly cancelled by the Chinese according to the prime minister's office.

'Exploratory discussions'

"I'm pleased we will continue our exploratory discussions towards a comprehensive free trade agreement between Canada and China. We believe that, if done properly, a trade agreement will benefit both countries," Trudeau said.

The allure of a free trade deal with the world's second-largest economy had proved irresistible. Many Canadian business leaders openly endorsed it even though it's far from clear that China would be willing to agree to Trudeau's stated priorities that any trade deals must protect labour and gender rights.

Li indicated China is prepared to engage with Canada on human rights by creating two ministerial working groups on that and other issues.

Trudeau in China

00:00 00:46

Trudeau in China0:46

"Both sides share the view that due to different national circumstances, it's only natural that we don't see eye-to-eye on some issues," he read from the statement.

"As long as we act in the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, then we can see mutual understanding and further promote this bilateral relationship."
​

• On Trudeau's 2nd trip to China, time may be ripe to advance free trade

• Canadians detained in commercial dispute looming over Trudeau trip to China

Li and Trudeau did announce agreements to promote Canadian canola imports and other agriculture products such as beef and pork.

They also agreed to promote greater tourism and to work together on climate change.
But the big target eluded them and their body language showed it.

Both read from prepared statements. Neither looked at each other as they did.
In a brief photo op a few minutes before the statements, Li said he and Trudeau shared a "candid and in-depth exchange of views" and that the two had "reached important understandings."
In his statement, Li added both counties believe in trade liberalization and removing barriers investment.

"China is open to bilateral talks for a free trade agreement," he said through translation.

Progressive trade 

 In a press conference with Canadian reporters, Trudeau said Canada is committed to progressive trade deals, which include chapters on the environment, gender and labour standards.

"Moving forward on a  trade agreement with China is a big thing, not a small thing. Canadians understand how important it is to get it right," Trudeau said.

"This will be for Canada, obviously, a significant trade agreement that we will eventually move towards because of the scale of the Chinese economy. For China it's a big thing because of the precedent of moving forward on their first agreement with a G7 country. So we both are very much in an agreement that we need to get this right and move forward at the proper pace."

Trudeau walks past the Canadian Embassy in Beijing Monday following a photo opportunity with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during which both read from prepared statements. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

The two countries have held four rounds of exploratory talks stretching back to last year.  The Trudeau government has also consulted industry leaders on the pros and cons of proceeding.

China dominates the $90-billion trade relationship now; its exports to Canada were worth more than $64-billion in 2016 and the gap has grown every year since 2012.

Beijing also uses hundreds of massive state-owned companies to help further its foreign and economic interests.

And unlike Canada's other free trade partners, China is a one-party state with a spotty human rights record.

Even so, an agreement to begin formal talks appeared likely.

NAFTA stalled

NAFTA renegotiations are at an apparent standstill. And Canada is looking to diversify into new markets.

Now Trudeau has left trade negotiations hanging with two Asian partners.

Two weeks ago he refused to sign an agreement in principle for the Trans Pacific Partnership involving 10 other Pacific rim nations.