Visiting Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao said Thursday that China would make joint efforts with
Canada to further promote trade and economic cooperation between
the two countries.
Speaking at a luncheon held in Ottawa by the Canada-China
Business Council, Wen said that "China-Canada trade and economic
cooperation is making solid headway," and China attaches great
importance to China-Canada relations and looks forward to working
together with the new Canadian leadership headed by incoming Prime
Minister Paul Martin "in cultivating a richer and more substantive
partnership of all-round cooperation between the two
countries."
"Our stronger ties of trade and economic partnership not only
serve the fundamental interests of our two countries, but
contribute to peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region and
the world at large," he noted.
The premier listed four areas in which the two countries should
work together to bring their economic partnership to a higher
level.
First, the volume of two-way trade should be increased and China
hopes that bilateral trade would be doubled by 2010, the Chinese
premier said.
While China is expected to import over US$1 trillion worth of
goods in the next three years, it wants to import more from Canada,
especially "more telecommunications equipment and other hi-tech
products."
At the same time, Wen said, China hopes that Canada would
continue to import textiles and other light-industrial products
from China while increasing purchases of China's machinery,
household appliances and other products.
Second, the two countries should expand investment cooperation
in such fields as energy, transportation, telecommunications,
environmental protection, agriculture, biology, raw materials,
finance and insurance, and the two countries should also diversify
the means of cooperation, said the Chinese premier.
Third, interactions between the business communities of the two
countries should be strengthened.
Canadian entrepreneurs are welcome to participate in the
development of China's western region, the overhaul and revamping
of China's Northeast and other old industrial bases, as well as the
renovation and reorganization of China's state-owned enterprises,
Wen said, adding that Chinese entrepreneurs are also encouraged to
invest and seek business expansion in Canada.
Fourth, the two countries should promote exchanges in science,
technology, education, human resources and culture, Wen said.
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(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2003)