Canada's prime minister to discuss 'non-interference' with China's Xi at Asia

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit week and raise Ottawa's concerns foreign interference.

Carney was asked the meeting and allegations of espionage and Chinese police stations in Canada at a news conference in Montreal.

"Yes, I will be meeting with President Xi Jinping week at APEC. We will many things," he said, adding that the talks will cover the global security situation and the economic partnership.

Carney described the economic relationship as "deepening but has clear guardrails in terms of the areas in which we’re involved," pointing to manufacturing as the main area of trade growth, including a small of vehicles, "less than 3% of our market."

He said the security risks of Canada’s partnership with China are far lower than those between China and the US, putting them at "much, much, much, much less than the security risks."

"I will be raising the importance with which we attach to the non-interference in our affairs by China and other countries," said Carney.

He acknowledged the delay in the seven-month vacancy in Canada's ambassadorship to China, its second-largest trading partner/

"It’s a little longer than we would have liked. We wanted to get the right person, and we have found that right person," he said.

He said Canada is in the process of securing agreement from Beijing, which requires Ottawa to propose an ambassador before a formal agreement is reached, as with any country.

"We would hope to make the announcement in very short order," added Carney.

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