Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that China-Canada relations carry significance beyond the bilateral level, and that China stands ready to work with Canada to enhance mutual trust, remove disruptions, and deepen cooperation, so as to ensure that bilateral relations move forward in a steady, solid, and positive manner under new circumstances.

Wang made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who is accompanying Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on his visit to China. The trip marks the first visit to China by a Canadian prime minister in eight years.

Wang said the visit is both a turning point and a landmark event in the development of China-Canada relations. Leaders of the two countries will hold meetings and talks during the visit, which he said is expected to open up new prospects for bilateral ties.

Noting that China and Canada have different social systems, Wang said the two sides should view each other in a rational, friendly, and inclusive manner, handle issues with mutual respect, and stay focused on cooperation.

He called on both sides to send positive signals, foster favorable expectations for the future of bilateral relations, and inject greater confidence into their development, with a view to jointly build a new type of strategic partnership between China and Canada.

Anand said the new Canadian government attaches great importance to relations with China and that the Canadian prime minister looks forward to engaging in in-depth communication with Chinese leaders during the visit to clarify the direction of bilateral ties.

She added that Canada hopes to restart dialogue across various fields, advance more mutually beneficial outcomes, strengthen coordination and cooperation on multilateral affairs, and further develop the bilateral strategic partnership.