Prime Minister Mark Carney met with China’s Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Thursday.

The two exchanged pleasantries about their flourishing business relationship and discussed progress made on a new strategic partnership between Canada and China. 

Carney, with an interesting choice of words and tone, explains that the partnership is one of new focus, greater depth, and a sense of purpose.

“Mine is the first visit of a Canadian Prime Minister in nearly a decade. The world has changed much since that last visit, and I believe the progress that we have made in the partnership sets us up well for the new world order.”

Carney is in China with Premier Scott Moe, both of whom are under pressure to resolve tariffs on good back home, such as canola oil, meal, seed, and yellow peas. Thursday brought an agreement on energy, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to co-operate more with China on clean and conventional energy. The MOU, signed by energy and natural resources minister Tim Hodgson, did not include a commitment from China to buying more Canadian petroleum and liquified natural gas.

Carney will be meeting with President Xi Jin Ping early on Friday.