China and Canada Fail to Agree on Launching Free Trade Talks
- Trudeau pushes for ‘progressive’ chapters on gender and labor
- Delay in Beijing follows disappointment last month on TPP
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A push to launch free trade negotiations between China and Canada fell flat Monday, with the nations abruptly scrapping a planned press conference and agreeing instead to extend exploratory talks.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signaled one sticking point was Canada’s preference for sprawling “progressive” pacts, and that the countries only wanted to launch formal talks if they were more confident a deal could be reached. It’s the second time in a month that Canada has effectively left a trade partner at the altar.