UPDATE - Chinese Premier Li seeks enhanced cooperation with Canada at summit with Carney

​​​​​​​ADDS PREMIERS MEETING; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Berk Kutay Gokmen and Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - China's Premier Li Qiang expressed an interest Thursday in enhancing cooperation with Canada, during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Beijing, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

Li expressed Beijing’s willingness to enhance cooperation with Ottawa in the clean energy, digital technology, modern agriculture, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and finance sectors.

He also expressed an interest in promoting more new drivers of economic growth.

“China welcomes more Canadian companies to invest in China and hopes that Canada will provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises investing in the country,” he said.

China and Canada's cooperation is driven by "robust endogenous dynamism and holds vast potential," said Li, expressing Beijing's willingness to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Canada.

Carney said that "in light of the profound changes in the current international situation, Canada is willing to enhance communication and collaboration with China to jointly support the United Nations in playing a central role in international affairs," according to the statement.

After the talks, multiple cooperation documents on trade, customs, energy, construction, culture, and public security were signed.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Canada to “deepen cooperation” against "interference" and enhance relations, during a meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand.

Beijing is willing to “enhance trust, eliminate interference, and deepen cooperation with Canada, to bring bilateral relations forward on a steady and sound track in solid strides under the new circumstances,” said Wang, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Carney arrived Wednesday for a four-day visit, marking the first trip to China by a Canadian premier in eight years.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last visited China in 2017.

Carney is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Li, and other government and business leaders.

A Canadian statement said the meetings will aim to elevate engagement on "trade, energy, agriculture, and international security."

Canada and China established relations in 1970, and the bilateral trade volume stood at $67 billion at the end of 2024.