Free trade with China? Talks stall as each side has its spin

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:Golden Age” but no deal in sight/AP Twitter

Smiling faces emerged from free trade talks with a message that did not match the jovial demeanors. There had been no progress toward Canada’s sought-after goal of a deal which might be even better than NAFTA.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exited talks with Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing saying “China is very aware that this is a precedent as they move forward with the first trade deal with a G7 country and there is a desire that we get it right.”  He said there wasn’t one particular issue that held up the talks, but he wants a progressive trade deal that includes addressing issues such as gender, the environment and labour.” Premier Li lauded the “golden age” of relations with Canada and said China was amenable to continuing exploratory trade talks.

ANGRY EXCHANGE OVER  REPORTERS PASSPORTS

But tempers flared on the Chinese side during Trudeau’s Monday visit to Beijing’s opulent Great Hall of the People. Chinese security guards blocked photographers from The Canadian Press and the Prime Minister’s Office by throwing up their hands and moving their bodies between them and Trudeau as he walked a red carpet next to Li. A Chinese foreign ministry official berated a diplomat from the Canadian embassy for not bringing the passports of the reporters travelling with Trudeau. The diplomat fired back at him in what was clearly an angry exchange. Afterwards, the Chinese side cancelled a planned press conference, Trudeau’s office said. It seems so very Communistic.