Biden-Trudeau summit: Canada and US forge stronger ties against ‘disruptive’ China

Name: Chinese balloon row: Joe Biden says US-China relations have not taken a big hit
Uploaded: 2023-03-24T20:57:44.000Z
Duration: 2 min 34 s
Description: Chinese balloon row: Joe Biden says US-China relations have not taken a big hit

North American leaders push for stronger joint supply chains and less dependence on other countries for critical minerals and semiconductors

Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who China had detained for more than 1,000 days until 2021, attend the speeches

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (right) and US President Joe Biden at the Canadian parliament in Ottawa on Friday. Photo: AP

Orange Wang

Published: 4:57am, 25 Mar 2023Updated: 5:14pm, 25 Mar 2023

China was front and centre at the US-Canada summit in Ottawa on Friday as the neighbours pledged a closer partnership in critical minerals, semiconductors and collective defence to fend off growing challenges from Beijing.

Making his first visit to Canada as US president, Joe Biden joined Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in criticising China directly.

“Canada and the United States acknowledge the serious long-term challenge to the international order posed by the People’s Republic of China, including disruptive actions such as economic coercion, non-market policies and practices, and human rights abuses,” the two leaders said in a statement after their talks.

They described Washington and Ottawa as “the closest of friends and allies” and vowed to work together to create a resilient “North American critical minerals supply chain”, saying it was vital to two countries’ economic and national security.

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Chinese balloon row: Joe Biden says US-China relations have not taken a big hit

Addressing the Canadian parliament the same day, Trudeau said economics and security were intertwined.

“With growing competition, including from an increasingly assertive China, there’s no doubt why it matters that we turn to each other now to build up a North American market on everything from semiconductors to solar panel batteries,” he said.