Quebec Premier François Legault is always welcome in China.
That’s the invitation extended by the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal.
China is Quebec’s second-largest trading partner, but Canada’s relations with Beijing have cooled in recent years.
International Relations Minister Martine Biron even hinted this time last year at the closure of some of Quebec’s four existing representations in China. In 2022, Legault accused China of unfair competition.
The Chinese government is now calling for a warming up.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Consul General Yuming Dai declared that China’s door is always open to Quebec.
He said the Quebec premier and his missions at various levels are always welcome in China to deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two parties.
Since René Lévesque in 1984, Quebec premiers have carried out missions to China. The latest to continue this tradition was Philippe Couillard, in 2014 and 2018. Quebec has an interparliamentary cooperation agreement in place with the State of Shandong.
– This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 3, 2024.