Trade mission to China ‘more positive than expected’ says Sask. Premier

Saskatchewan’s Premier Scott Moe is back from his trade mission to China and said conversations with officials were more positive than he expected.

The purpose of Moe’s expedition was to discuss Chinese tariffs on canola, peas and pork. The premier was joined by the Prime Minister’s parliamentary secretary Kody Blois.

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Saskatchewan’s Trade and Export Minister Warren Kaeding was also on a trade mission at the same time in South Korea to speak with partners in the trade and energy sectors.

“There is a real opportunity for us to move forward in engagement with a number of different organizations and government agencies in China (and) to recalibrate the trade relationship that we have,” Moe told reporters at the Saskatoon airport on Monday.

Meetings were held with the Ministry of Commerce in China, which is responsible for the canola seed tariffs affecting Saskatchewan. Moe also met with the administration responsible for the tariffs on oil, meal, pork and pulses.

Moe did not meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping or come back to Canada with a trade deal. He explained his trip was intended to lay the groundwork for future negotiations, noting it will ultimately be Prime Minister Mark Carney who finalizes any trade disputes with China.

The premier said the main concern from China was Canada’s alignment with the United States, particularly on Electric Vehicle (EV) policies, rather than aluminum.

Last year, Canada imposed a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese EVs, to which China later imposed its own hefty tariffs, which have been seen as a retaliatory measure.

“I think that it’s important for us to remember in all of these negotiations, whether it be in the United States of America, China, or any other country, in this new world order, when it comes to trade relationships, we need to represent Canada boldly and without apology,” Moe said.

Moe flew to Ottawa shortly after speaking with reporters and will meet with Carney, Blois and other ministers in the coming days.

Over the next few weeks, Moe said he will be watching for signs of Canadian ministers engaging directly with China, and is looking ahead to a possible meeting with Carney and Jinping at future global summits this fall.

Moe said Saskatchewan’s relationship with Ottawa is strong currently, and that Carney has been fairly open to working with officials when it comes to providing regulatory certainty to allow the province to develop its resources and opportunities.

“What do I want at the end of the day? Market access to every country around the world that’s tariff-free,” Moe said.

Opposition critic Kim Breckner says the NDP has been calling on the premier to visit China for trade talks for months. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

‘Too little, too late’

Trade and export opposition critic Kim Breckner said the NDP has been calling on Moe to visit China to deal with the canola tariffs for months, criticizing the premier for returning “empty-handed.”

“It took him until our exports to China have basically been cut in half for him to take the initiative, and now nothing to show for it,” she told reporters at the Saskatoon airport on Monday.

“It’s too little, too late.”

Breckner said she wants to see canola tariffs lifted immediately.

“If what it takes to get these tariffs off of canola is to remove the tariffs on Chinese EVs, that’s what needs to be done,” she said.