BEIJING: China said on Monday (Jan 26) that a preliminary trade deal with Canada “does not target any third parties” after the United States threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian products if the agreement were finalised.
Under the deal, announced this month, Beijing is expected to reduce tariffs on Canadian canola imports and grant Canadians visa-free travel to China.
But over the weekend, the US – Canada’s traditional ally – threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian products if the deal were to go ahead, saying it would allow China to “dump goods”.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the trade deal was not aimed at Washington.
“China and Canada have established a new type of strategic partnership … it does not target any third party,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular press conference.
“China advocates that nations should approach state-to-state relations with a win-win rather than zero-sum mindset, and through cooperation rather than confrontation,” he added.