Canada can manage relationships with China and U.S. at same time, says John McCallum

Canada's new ambassador to China says this country can "walk and chew gum at the same time,"by establishing friendly relationships with U.S. President Donald Trump while at the same time maintaining healthy relations with the Chinese leadership.

Former immigration minister John McCallummade the remarks in an interview with CBC Radio'sThe House airing this Saturday.

McCallum is heading to China at the same time asCanada begins exploratory talks on a free trade deal with the country. The beginning of those talksare set against a backdrop of rising tensions between the U.S.and China as Trump threatens to levy tariffs on Chinese imports.

Asked by host Chris Hall if Canada risks getting caught up in a tug of war between the two economic superpowers, McCallumexpressed optimism.

"As I say we can walk and chew gum at the same time," McCallum said. "The United States relationshipis by far and away the most important, and the prime minister is actively pursuing that along with his cabinet, but meanwhile over in China, I am pursuing Canadian interests and values and I believe there is great scope there."

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Despite Trump'santi China rhetoric,McCallum says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hasn't altered his objectives for relations with China.

"I think [Trudeau]is very clear that we want to pursue stronger ties with China," he said. "We think that in the medium term this will lead to more Canadian jobs."

Foreign Affairs MinisterChrystiaFreeland, the formerinternational trade minister, said the first round of exploratory face-to-face talks with China onfree trade will begin next month.

McCallumwouldn'thazard a guess on when a deal will be signed, but said hopefully it will take Canada less time than Australia did to strike itsfree trade agreement with China, which came into force in December of 2015.

"Australians, may I remind you, took 10 years to complete such a deal. I think now that we have Australia as something of amodel, or template, it might take less than 10 years," he said. "I can't say for sure."

HuseyinCelil's case top of mind

Another balancing act for McCallum will be advocating strong economic ties with China without compromising Canada's human rights record.

Huseyin Celil,a dual Canadian-Chinese citizenimprisoned in China for speaking out on behalf of the country's Uighur minority, is a case in point.

According to Amnesty International, Celil was arrested in Uzbekistanin 2006 and transferred to China where he was put on trial without access to his lawyer, his family or Canadian officials.

"We are certainly pushing for consular access. Anywhere in the world that has the death penalty we seek clemency," McCallum said. "Consular issues are a matter of the heart."

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