Carney recycles existing deals in China, no new oil and gas commitments
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s much-anticipated first day in China concluded without securing any significant breakthroughs on Canadian energy exports.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s much-anticipated first day in China concluded without securing any significant breakthroughs on Canadian energy exports. On Thursday, Beijing did not offer any concrete commitments to purchase Canadian oil or liquefied natural gas.
Carney’s visit did, however, result in the renewal of several pre-existing, non-binding agreements aimed at fostering trade co-operation.
Carney witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on clean and conventional energy cooperation between Canada and China, but the agreement did not include any pledge that China would increase imports of Canadian oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson signed the memorandum, which outlines plans to strengthen ministerial dialogue on oil and gas development, LNG and liquefied petroleum gas, and emissions reductions.
The memorandum stopped short of delivering the core commercial breakthrough Ottawa has been seeking to diversify exports away from the United States.
“They are very clear, they would like more Canadian products,” Hodgson told journalists in Beijing.
Carney’s first day in the Chinese capital included meetings with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and a flurry of sessions with business leaders, including Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., a major manufacturer of electric vehicle batteries.
Carney also met with the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation as the government looks to expand access for Canadian energy exports into Asia.
At a meeting with Li, Carney said teams in both countries have been working in recent months to address issues that “have built up over time” and to lay the foundation for what he described as a “new strategic partnership” between Canada and China.
Carney said recent progress could help both countries navigate what he called a changing international environment and “create greater stability, security, sustainability and prosperity.”
The energy agreement came as Carney faces pressure to deliver progress on trade irritants during the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister since 2017.
China imposed tariffs last year on Canadian agricultural products including pork, canola and seafood, after Canada placed tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday that talks aimed at reducing those tariffs have been productive, but negotiations remain ongoing.
“The conversation has been productive,” Anand said.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe joined Carney for part of the Beijing visit, raising expectations of movement on access for Canadian canola.
Carney’s delegation also signed additional agreements on Thursday aimed at boosting Canadian pet food exports to China and increasing tourism between the two countries. Canada and China renewed an agreement to combat crime, including child sexual exploitation, transnational organized crime and money laundering.
Carney is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Both governments are framing the trip as an attempt to reset bilateral ties while managing ongoing disputes over trade, security and foreign influence.
Well, in this case at least, no news is good news.
I have been in a state of near-terror since this trip was announced. Carny, and a band of tired, worn out and untalented Trudeau hangers on, meeting with China? What could possibly go wrong - for Canadians?
China, a country with a population of 1.4 billion and an economy to match, has been navigating geopolitics for literally thousands of years. And they've already manipulated their way into significant control of our political process with active spies, posing as actual MP's and Cabinet Ministers - not to mention Chinese Police stations operating openly in Canada, controlling their diaspora population.
Canada, with a population of 43 million and a crumbling economy has been in existence for about 200 years. As one measure of our country's maturity, our ruling party deems it necessary to install tampon dispensers in men's rooms.And that's not cherry picking, but just one of an ongoing list of Liberal self-destructive lunacies deemed worthy of enacting.
Canada is an insignificant mouse, caught between a dragon and a lion. There is no negotiating being done. Canada will be told what to do and they will have a very stark choice to make. Align us with China and the European Globalists, or repair and maintain our relationship with the US - you can't have both. That relationship is fractured partly by the actions of Donald Trump. But Canada is equally to blame for its refusal to eliminate Quebec's Supply Management System and its historic and ongoing verbal insults directed at Trump, via Twitter . We have zero economic leverage due in large part to - again - Quebec and BC's refusal to allow pipelines to tidewater thus accessing untold billions in foreign trade.
It's difficult to imagine that we have not been manipulated into facing this Hobson's Choice, by the Chinese.
Considering Carny's obvious shortcomings in the political arena along with his lack of backbone, the best thing we could hope for out of this meeting is another nothing burger.
I'll take mine with a side of Land Acknowledgements, please.
Yum Yum, more nothing burgers!
Please sir, mooore.