BEIJING – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in China on a visit focused on trade.
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Trudeau was due to hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday before meeting President Xi Jinping the following day.
China and Canada are in exploratory talks on a framework for a trade agreement, although reports say Ottawa has been pushing for provisions on the environment, governance, labor and gender issues.
Beijing generally seeks to avoid references that might highlight the one-party authoritarian state’s human rights record.
China has positioned itself as a leading advocate of free trade, particularly since President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Yet foreign businesses complain often that China’s closes many key areas to foreign investment.
