John Baird to talk trade on China trip

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is heading to China to further Canada’s ties with the country, his officials said Tuesday.

Baird, who was named foreign affairs minister following the May 2 election, will spend several days in Shanghai and Beijing and then travel to Indonesia for a conference with Asian nations.

Baird’s officials are billing the trip in China, from July 16 to 20, as an important high-level visit that signals Canada's commitment to deepening commercial ties, trade and other relations with the country.

Given that China has one of the world’s fastest growing economies, it "just makes sense" for Baird to go there, one of his officials said during a briefing.

Baird will meet with China’s foreign minister and other senior Chinese government officials and will also meet with members of the Chinese business community and with Canadian businesses operating in China.

Baird’s officials said he would be promoting Canada as a destination for Chinese investment. There have been improvements in Canada-China trade relations, one official said, but there are still a number of regulatory barriers.

His officials didn’t say whether Baird would be raising human rights concerns specifically during meetings with government officials, but they did say Canada has "frank and open" discussions on human rights and that Canada consistently has voiced concerns and urged China to comply with international standards.

In Shanghai, the foreign minister will also stop by the world aquatic championships to cheer on Canadian athletes.

Following his Chinese visit, Baird will represent Canada at the ASEAN ministerial conference in Bali, Indonesia, from July 21 to 24. Security, human rights, economic prosperity, illegal migration and democracy are among the topics on the agenda for the meetings, officials said.