Canada is becoming a bridge between the Pacific and the Atlantic
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‍By CGTN's Wang Dong

Exploratory free trade talks have kicked off between China and Canada, with officials visiting each other's country to discuss what a potential agreement might look like. China’s Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation takes place on May 14-15, with an aim to promote further trade and cooperation between the countries. 
What are the opportunities and challenges for Canada in China’s Belt and Road Initiative? How is Canada's role in the world changing and what are the prospects for deeper ties with China? And how can we work together to defy protectionist trends and open the two economies further to one another? Dialogue with Yang Rui had an exclusive interview with François-Philippe Champagne, Canadian minister of international trade.
Under the new Trump presidency the US has dropped out of – and thereby effectively killed – the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which had included Canada and had been an important component of Canada’s economic strategy. On the other hand, except for Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru, all TPP members are included in the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). 
When asked how Canada views its economic relationship with China and the US, Champagne said Canada welcomes all rule-based economies and is very interested in exploring the Chinese market.
"There's never been a better time to diversify. This is what I have been saying all along. I think that the Canadian economy has been relying to a very large extent on the US economy. I mean, we're exchanging 2.3 billion of goods and services every day, we have 500,000 people crossing the border, we have 35 states in the United States which have Canada as primary export market. But the purpose of my visit here was really to talk to the Chinese side and say Canada is becoming that bridge between the Pacific and the Atlantic."
A second round of exploratory talks on a proposed Canada-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was held in April. Champagne said China and Canada have come to an understanding of tackling China's overcapacity with green technology in collaboration with Canada.
"This is not just Canada coming here. This is China very much wanting to engage. Because there’s an awareness that we need to green the economy in China and that Canada can play a role in that."