Disagreements on issues including human rights will not stop Canada from forging strong economic ties with China, which are an "overriding goal," Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Monday.
"We want to have a strong positive relationship with China," said Flaherty, who is visiting China on and August 8-14 trip, in response to reporters' questions.
"It doesn't mean that as part of the ongoing discussion, the ongoing dialogue that we have with China that we won't disagree on an issue or two from time to time," he said.
"China also has some concerns about some Chinese residents living in Canada, for example. But these ought not to get in the way of the overriding goal here which is a strong economic relationship which benefits both our peoples," Flaherty said.
Canada's dealings with China have in the past been dominated by discussion of human rights issues, but Flaherty noted that "the worldwide recession has focused minds on the economy."
Flaherty is visiting China, accompanied by the heads of five major banks and the two biggest insurance companies in Canada, along with the governor of the Bank of Canada, with the goal of strengthening economic ties between the two countries and preparing the ground for a November visit to China by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
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