China, Canada to boost relations, cooperation to higher levels

BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Saturday decided to boost the relations and cooperation between the two countries to higher levels.

Li first expressed sympathy for the terrorist attack last month in Canada which killed a Canadian soldier.

During Harper's visit, China and Canada decided to strengthen communication and exchanges between the two countries' leaders, and establish mechanisms of foreign ministers' annual dialogue and economic and financial strategy dialogue, an indication of the strategic and high-level China-Canada relations, said Li.

Li also expressed China's willingness to, together with Canada, deepen political mutual trust, explore cooperation potentials and properly resolve disputes to continuously raise the level of bilateral relations and cooperation.

China welcomes Canada's ratification of the "China-Canada Investment Protection Agreement" and hopes that the two sides expand trade and investment volume, make efforts to increase bilateral trade volume to 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2020, and create a good environment for companies to enter each other's market, said Li.

The premier also called upon the two countries to deepen energy and resources cooperation, and expand cooperation in the financial field.

Li called upon the two sides to push forward the establishment of the renminbi offshore trading center in Toronto and support banks to do business in each other's country.

China decided during Harper's visit to grant 50 billion yuan (about 8.2 billion U.S. dollars) of Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) investment quota, according to Li.

The two countries should also expand cooperation in high-tech and high-end fields such as bio-pharmaceutical, new material and modern agricultural sectors, he added.

Li also expressed hopes that Canada provide more convenience in granting visas to Chinese people and make the China-Canada culture exchange year in 2015 and 2016 a success.

Harper said China is Canada's important partner and both sides are benefiting from their relations which have been developing well.

Canada is committed to deepening all-round friendly Canada-China relationship, and is willing to expand mutually-beneficial cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, science and technology, energy, finance, education and tourism, Harper said.

Harper also expressed his belief that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Beijing meeting will yield fruitful results and promote the development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific.