State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Canada to join China in safeguarding the global free trade system and promote creation of a free trade zone between the two countries.

Wang made the remarks in a phone conversation with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Wednesday while the latter briefed him on the signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The new USMCA, if it takes effect, will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement and give the US a veto if Canada or Mexico enters into a free trade agreement with a "non-market economy" – language widely seen as referring to China.

Wang said China has been consistent in upholding free trade, safeguarding a multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and opposing trade protectionism in any form and double-standard practices, adding any attempt to hinder China from achieving modernization will not succeed.

Freeland said the signing of the USMCA should not undermine the rights and interests of other countries and Canada will advance negotiations on free trade agreements with other countries based on its own decisions.

Speaking at a regular press conference, Foreign Minister Spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday China hopes free trade arrangements in any region or any form should be based on the principles of openness, transparency and inclusiveness to create a more free and enabling environment for global trade.