On August 25 and 26, 2024, Chinese Ambassador to Canada H.E. Wang Di visited Montreal and met with Chair of City Council Ms. Martine Musau Muele, Member of the Parliament Ms. Alexandra Mendès, and Rector of Université du Québec à Montréal Stéphane Pallage. He was accompanied by Chinese Consul General in Montreal Mr. Dai Yuming.

Ambassador Wang shared about the important outcomes of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, stressing that China and Canada have deep traditional friendship and practical cooperation between the two sides has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples. China’s efforts to a new open economy with higher standards will create a broader space for China-Canada cooperation. China is willing to work with the Canadian side to promote healthy and stable development of bilateral relations on the basis of right perception, mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and win-win cooperation. Ambassador Wang commended the good interactions and cooperation between Chinese provinces and cities and Montreal, emphasizing that China stands ready to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Montreal in the ares of economy and trade, education, humanities and other fields for the betterment of the people on both sides, and hoping that the Montreal government will provide even better protection to local Chinese citizens, including international students for their rights and interests.

Ambassador Wang stated China’s position on the Canadian government’s announcement on August 26 that it would impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and other products, emphasizing that Canada’s move typical trade protectionism and politically-motivated decision, which violates the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and goes against Canada’s traditional image as a global champion for free trade and climate change mitigation. It will damage trade and economic cooperation between China and Canada, hurt the interests of Canadian consumers and enterprises, slow down the green transition process of Canada and certainly won’t help global efforts to address climate change, which benefits no one and will only backfire. China urges the Canadian side to immediately correct its wrong practices, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Ms. Muele spoke positively of on the relations between Montreal and Chinese cities, highlighting that Montreal and Shanghai had become sister cities as early as the 1980s, and the two sides have been maintaining close contacts. Montreal is ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Shanghai and other Chinese cities.

Ms. Mendès commended China’s development achievements, stressing that Canada and China are natural partners and important trade markets for each other. She highlighted that Canadian Foreign Minister Joly’s recent visit to China released a positive signal to the outside world, and looked forward to seeing both sides continue to enhance mutual trust and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Rector Pallage highlighted that Université du Québec à Montréal looks forward to deepening exchanges and cooperation with more Chinese universities and welcomes more Chinese students to study and exchange there. After the official meeting, Ambassador Wang had talks with teachers and students of Wuhan University currently studying and exchanging in the university and Canadian students who just returned from a visit to China last month. He encouraged them to continue to be the youth envoys between China and Canada to enhance mutual understanding and carry forward the friendship between the two countries.

During the visit, Ambassador Wang also talked with representatives of local Chinese diaspora, encouraging them to continue to promote China-Canada friendship. Ambassador Wang also took an interview with La Presse, and answered questions on China-Canada relations, bilateral economic and trade exchanges, and the announcement of tariff increases on Chinese electric cars and other products.