It's been a week since the G20 Summit wrapped up in Osaka, which witnessed the signing of a landmark agreement between the EU and South America, and a step forward in trade talks between Beijing and Washington. Meanwhile China and Canada continue to see slow progress in resolving their recent differences. CGTN reporter Omar Khan sat down with Canada's former ambassador to China, John McCallum, hearing his thoughts on relations. The diplomat, now serving as a senior strategic advisor to McMillan law firm, says that despite the current circumstances, businesses and investors should remain confident in the Chinese market.

JOHN MCCALLUM, SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR, McMILLAN LLP FMR. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA "Well the main thing that makes it so attractive is that it's so huge. 1.4 billion people, second biggest economy in the world, on the way to becoming, most people think, the largest economy in the world, a middle class that is growing by leaps and bounds, so obviously that creates an enormous market, and I think that is why Canada and so many other countries are keen on doing business with China."

OMAR KHAN CGTN REPORTER "Given these circumstances, is China still a viable market for investors, for businesses to come to? That's what you're championing these days, to engage and to continue coming here. Why is China, and is China still in that position to be a market that is attracting?"

JOHN MCCALLUM, SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR, McMILLAN LLP FMR. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA "Absolutely, China is a very important market for Canada. Canada has a very high stake in China, think of our universities who take so many Chinese students, think of our tourist industry, think of some of our forest products, think of our canola farmers and our meat farmers and a wide range of Canadians depend on the relationship with China. And a lot of jobs in Canada are at stake. So yes, I do believe that Canada is here in China for the long term. So what we are trying to do is support the Canadians who are operating here, to assist Chinese who may want to invest in Canada. So I do think the long run is very positive."

OMAR KHAN CGTN REPORTER "We see after the G20 summit, that the US and China are going back to that negotiating table. Talk us through as an observer, how has the trade war affected other countries being involved with both the US market and China, and how do you see that resolving itself going forward?"

JOHN MCCALLUM, SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR, McMILLAN LLP FMR. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA "Well let me answer you as an economist, not really as a Canadian, but as an economist. I think trade wars are very dangerous. I think they can get out of hand, and I think they can do great damage. Not only to the two countries involved, but to the whole world. And I think that the Great Depression of the 1930s, part of the reason it was a great depression and not just a great recession, was the tariffs that were raised at that time. So I do think this is a dangerous path we are on, and I hope very much that this resumption of talks will lead to something positive. But I am saying, really for the good, not just for the good of Canada but for the good of the world, it is much better if China and the United States can find a way to live with each other, and both prosper in this world."

OMAR KHAN CGTN REPORTER "In December, that's kind of a marking point, there's a before and after when it comes to Canada-China relations. Talk us through what happened then, and what's transpired up until today, where are we now?"

JOHN MCCALLUM, SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR, McMILLAN LLP FMR. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA "Well November of last year was a terrific month. We had 6 ministers in China, we had 3 provincial premiers, we had the Prime Minister in talks with Li Keqiang in Singapore, all in November, all very productive, all advancing the China-Canada relation. And then everything plummeted at the very beginning of December when Meng Wanzhou was detained in Vancouver, and then subsequently two Canadians were detained, then we had problems with canola and things of that nature. Now one of the things I am doing working with McMillan is to try to enhance that relations during difficult times. I say to Canadian business leaders and politicians, don't just come to China, come to China often, and especially come to China when times are tough. Because I do think the longer run state of Canada China relations will be positive. And I'm hoping all of these difficulties can be solved in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of China Canada diplomatic relations, which is next year."

OMAR KHAN CGTN REPORTER "How do you envision the two countries, I suppose you could say, seeing a normalization of ties, where do you envision it, where do you wish it to end up?"

JOHN MCCALLUM, SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR, McMILLAN LLP FMR. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA "50 is a big year. The diplomatic relations between Canada and China was a very important step for both of our countries. So I hope we can resolve our problems before and in time to have a good celebration. And I don't think it's all that complicated. If you look at the case of South Korea, if you look at the case of Norway, once the problems were resolved, things kind of took off. So I think that if we can resolve these problems, we can take off from where we were before."