Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly attends the second day of the meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest, Romania on Nov. 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Andreea Alexandru
OTTAWA – Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Ottawa has not been clear with Canadian businesses in past years about the risks of operating in China.
In a discussion with the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, Joly says it’s up to businesses to choose how much they invest in China, but the federal government has a duty to help them navigate the risks.
Last month, the government unveiled its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy, which seeks closer economic, military and diplomatic ties in the region to counterbalance China’s growing sway.
Joly says an implementation plan will be released in the coming weeks.
She also says Canada’s goal is to be as close to Japan and South Korea as the country is already with Germany, France and the U.K.
Joly says investing in large infrastructure projects will help boost Canada’s brand in developing countries.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2022.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the Indo-Pacific strategy was released this month.
