An aerial drone photo taken on April 30, 2025 shows a cargo ship berthing at a container dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Global Times-Amid concerns over the uncertainty of US policies, calls for improving relations with China seem to be gaining traction in Canada. To make meaningful progress, Canada needs to set aside ideological biases and embrace a pragmatic approach to the development of bilateral ties.

Canada should bolster ties with China to hedge against uncertainty from US' approach to bilateral relations, former Canadian finance minister Bill Morneau said at the Bloomberg Invest conference in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported.

Meanwhile, in a move that underscores the practical benefits of China-Canada cooperation, Canada's ferry operator BC Ferries said in a press release on Tuesday that it had awarded China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards a contract to build four new vessels after a "rigorous" global bidding process, according to Canadian media outlet National Post.

These developments, while seemingly unrelated, indicate that there is still pragmatic thinking within Canada regarding engagement with China - one that has extensive market basis. As a senior figure in the Canadian economic field, Morneau's viewpoint serves as an example of a segment of the Canadian elites. In the complex and ever-changing international landscape, they hope to find a more stable and advantageous development space by strengthening cooperation with China.

The BC Ferries' decision exemplifies how market forces naturally drive Canada-China economic cooperation. When evaluating opportunities objectively, Canadian businesses consistently recognize the competitive advantages offered by their Chinese partners, from technological sophistication to cost efficiency and quality assurance. This commercial reality underscores the strong foundation and vast potential for mutually beneficial economic collaborations between the two nations.

However, it is undeniable that Canada-China economic and trade cooperation has faced setbacks in recent years. The root cause lies in Ottawa's tendency to align itself unquestioningly with US strategy. For instance, following in the footsteps of the US government, Canada announced plans to impose a 100-percent tariff on imports of Chinese electric vehicles and a 25-percent tariff on imported steel and aluminum from China in August 2024.

Since 2022, citing national security, the Canadian side has asked three Chinese companies in the area of key mineral resources to close their branches and to divest their assets in Canada. I think all of these moves have seriously dampened Chinese companies' confidence in investing in Canada, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di noted in an interview with Canadian media outlet The Global and Mail.

Some Canadian politicians' criticisms of the Chinese shipyard deal are a manifestation of this ideological bias. By confining itself within the framework of the US strategy, Canada often tends to harbor certain doubts about cooperation involving China. With such doubts, how could it develop a mutually beneficial relationship with China? Therefore, a most crucial step for Canada is to return to a pragmatic stance if it really wants to make a change.

Improving trade relations with China holds great significance for Canada at present. The trade protectionist policies pursued by the US have brought great uncertainty and risks to the global economy. As a neighbor and important trading partner of the US, Canada has inevitably suffered severely. 

In this context, Canada needs to reassess the right path for its economic and trade relations that alleviates its pressure. China, as the world's second-largest economy, boasts a vast market and a complete industrial chain, making it undoubtedly one of Canada's ideal trading partners. By strengthening economic and trade cooperation with China, Canada can find export markets for its mineral and agricultural products, enhance its industrial competitiveness.

Just as Wang Di expressed in a recent interview with the Canadian Press, China and Canada enjoy high complementarities in terms of resource endowments and economic structures. We have great potential in conducting trade with each other. What the governments of our two countries should be doing is to provide a fair, non-discriminatory and predictable business environment for the businesses of our countries to conduct trade.

China is ready to move forward and hopes to bring the bilateral relationship back to the right track, but it requires both sides to have correct perceptions and mutual respect while seeking common ground and shelving differences.

It is sincerely hoped that Canada will seize the opportunity, break free from the shackles of ideological prejudice and embark on a new journey of mutually beneficial cooperation with China.