Chinese Ambassador to Canada Luo Zhaohui

Chinese Ambassador to Canada Luo Zhaohui says relations between China and Canada are becoming increasingly closer and stronger, and the two countries should make bilateral cooperation more comprehensive by further promoting it in such areas as trade, finance, high technology, agriculture, culture, education and tourism.

"China and Canada are so complementary to each other, and our common interests have never been so extensive,’’ Luo told China Daily, noting that the two countries have the same or similar positions on many multilateral issues such as United Nation’s affairs and climate change.

"In the past few years, China has remained Canada's second-largest trading partner and export market. Our two-way trade reached nearly $55 billion last year. China’s investment in Canada has increased to almost $50 billion,’’ he said. "China has also become the largest source of international students and the fastest growing tourist market of Canada. The two-way students have surpassed 100,000. About 1.2 million people traveled between two countries last year.’’

Luo said that President Xi Jinping has invited Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to visit China again in November when he attends this year’s APEC summit in Beijing. "We are striving to make this visit a new milestone in the history of our bilateral relations,’’ he said.

Luo said that in meetings with Canadian leaders and ministers in the past two months, he has repeatedly put forward thoughts on how to make the visit a success and increase cooperation.

"To increase trade, we should launch a working group to kick off the feasibility study for a bilateral free trade agreement. We can discuss building a 'maritime energy corridor’ between China and Canada, and combining our energy cooperation in exploitation, infrastructure building, transportation and other areas under this new hat," he said.

"China hopes Canada can ratify the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement at an early date and send positive signals to the business communities of both countries," he continued.

"We should create a more convenient financial environment for concrete cooperation. China is positive toward signing a bilateral currency swap arrangement with Canada, and setting up the offshore center for RMB transactions in Canada."

The ambassador noted that after more than three decades of reform and opening-up, China has become the second-largest economy of the world with GDP and foreign trade reaching $9 trillion and $4 trillion, respectively last year.

"The Chinese government is working hard to transform the pattern of economic development from export- and investment-driven to consumption- and innovation-driven,’’ he said. "Urbanization and industrialization are injecting strong driving forces into China’s economic growth. The comprehensive deepening reform and opening-up will make China’s development more efficient and sustainable. The Chinese people have never been so close to the realization of the Chinese dream, a dream of happiness, better life and greater future."

In the next five years, China’s imports will reach $10 trillion, China will invest $500 billion abroad, and there will be more than 500 million Chinese people traveling around the world, he said.

"A dynamic China means a vast market, trade, employment and economic growth to Canada. Canada should take these opportunities, and have its own piece of such a big, delicious cake," Luo said. "China and Canada are both important countries of the dynamic Asia-Pacific region. The success stories of China-Canada relations and the shared development of our two countries have brought huge benefits not only to our own people, but also to the region and the world at large," he added.