Canada’s tourism minister has cancelled a trip to China at the last minute amid growing tensions between the two countries.
Melanie Joly’s office confirmed to Radio Canada International that China and Canada “mutually agreed” to postpone her planned trip that was supposed to cap off the Canada-China Year of Tourism.
“Both governments agreed this would allow us to better achieve our shared objectives,” Joly’s press secretary Jeremy Ghio said in an emailed statement to Radio Canada International.
“We look forward to meeting again to continue building people-to people ties and strengthening the tourism relationship between Canada and China – a relationship that creates good jobs for middle class families and opportunities for people in both countries.”
Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada’s former ambassador in China, said the purpose of the visit was to celebrate achievements of the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism.
Since China granted approved destination status to Canada in 2010, the number of tourists from China has grown from 195,000 in 2010 to 682,000 in 2017.
And just in the first nine months of 2018, Canada welcomed more than 580,000 Chinese visitors.
“I think everyone recognized that it would be very hard at this stage to celebrate anything in the present climate,” Saint-Jacques said.
Joly’s announcement came as Canada’s iconic maker of winter parkas, Canada Goose, announced on Friday that it is delaying the opening of its flagship store in Beijing, citing construction delays.
Relations between Canada and China have been strained since the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei, in Vancouver on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States.
Meng faces extradition to the U.S. over allegations she was involved in violating sanctions on Iran, with each charge carrying a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
A Canadian judge released Meng on bail Tuesday. She had to post a $10-million bail, surrender her passports and abide by more than a dozen conditions, including round-the-clock electronic and physical surveillance.
However, Beijing demands that Canada “immediately correct its mistake” and put Meng on the first flight to China.
Chinese authorities confirmed Thursday that they have arrested two Canadians, China-based social entrepreneur Michael Spavor and former Canadian diplomat in China Michael Kovrig.
They are suspected of “endangering national security,” China’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
Canadian officials confirmed Friday that they were granted consular access to Kovrig.
Canada’s ambassador to China, John McCallum, met the former Canadian diplomat in Beijing, said a statement by Global Affairs Canada.
Canada continues to press for consular access to Spavor, the statement added.
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