Prime Minister François Legault is always welcome in China, said the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal.
The head of the Quebec government, who once harshly criticized this economic partner, is thus invited to reconnect with the tradition established by his predecessors since René Lévesque.
The Asian superpower is Quebec’s second largest trading partner, but Canada’s relations with Beijing have cooled in recent years.
The Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, even mentioned on this date last year the closure of Quebec representations in China among the four existing ones. In 2022, François Legault, for his part, quietly accused China of unfair competition.
The Chinese government is now calling for warming.
“China’s door is always open,” Consul General Yuming Dai said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“The Prime Minister of Quebec and his missions at different levels are always welcome in China to deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two parties. The Consulate General is ready to provide effective assistance. »
In a recent speech in Montreal, Martine Biron spoke of a “changing geopolitical context in the Indo-Pacific”.
“The pandemic and tensions between Canada and China have slowed down our trade in recent years,” explained the ministry, asked to clarify what exactly the minister was referring to.
“But things are getting back on track,” we continue in an email sent to The Canadian Press.
Since René Lévesque in 1984, the prime ministers of Quebec have carried out missions to China. The last to have perpetuated this tradition is Philippe Couillard, in 2014 and 2018. Quebec is also twinned with a partner, the State of Shandong.