Premier Li Qiang met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday, a move that has further demonstrated the positive momentum of diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

The two prime ministers met on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Li expressed China's willingness to make more active and practical efforts with Canada to promote the further improvement of bilateral relations.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of their strategic partnership.

Li called on both sides to steadily steer their ties onto a track of healthy, stable and sustainable development.

China hopes Canada can adopt a correct perception of China, and the two countries can respect each other's core interests and major concerns to cement the political foundation for the development of bilateral cooperation and ties, the Chinese premier said.

China has long been Canada's second-largest trading partner, and bilateral trade has seen rapid growth since the beginning of this year, Li noted.

He also stressed that China is ready to work with Canada to maintain and develop the positive momentum, while addressing each other's economic and trade concerns through dialogue and consultation.

Carney expressed his expectation to strengthen dialogue and exchanges at various levels with China, and to advance practical cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, finance, health and tourism.

In August, the 28th meeting of the China-Canada Joint Economy and Trade Commission was held in Ottawa, Canada, marking the resumption of the mechanism after 8 years.

Zhao Xingshu, deputy director of the Department of Canadian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of American Studies, said that recent interactions between China and Canada, including a phone call between the two prime ministers in June, marked the restart of high-level dialogue between the two countries.

Diplomatic exchanges are on the rise, and public perception of China in Canada has also improved, Zhao said, adding that such positive signals might bring about change. But the Carney administration's strategic objectives and positioning toward China still remain to be seen.

Zhao said that recent tariffs and widening economic disparities between Canada and the United States could also influence the future of China-Canada ties.

The two sides could leverage their different strengths and make full use of economic complementarity — for example, China's strength in production capacity and technology and Canada's abundance in critical minerals — to tap into their cooperation potential, she added.

Ties with Austria

Li also met with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in New York on Tuesday, expressing readiness to continue leveraging bilateral exchange mechanisms such as the joint commissions on economy and trade, as well as on scientific and technological cooperation with Austria, in order to promote the continuous expansion and upgrading of bilateral trade.

Li called on both sides to strengthen cooperation in areas such as green transition and the digital economy, and push for innovation, sustainability and high-quality growth in industrial development.

Li said he hopes that Austria will prompt the European Union to view China-EU relations from a strategically autonomous and long-term perspective, adopt a positive and pragmatic policy toward China, and work with China to safeguard multilateralism and free trade.

Stocker said that Vienna expects to expand cooperation with Beijing in fields such as the economy and trade, tourism and culture, adding that Austria looks forward to welcoming more Chinese tourists.