On July 18, 2011, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held talks in the Foreign Ministry with his Canadian counterpart John Baird, who is here for an official visit.

Yang expressed welcome for Baird's visit and congratulated him for assuming his new office. Yang said since the establishment of diplomatic ties, bilateral relations have made substantial progress. During President Hu's visit to Canada in 2010 and Prime Minister Harper's visit to China in 2009, the leaders of the two countries reaffirmed commitment to developing China-Canada strategic partnership. Since then, China-Canada relations have entered a new stage of development. The two sides have actively implemented the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and China-Canada Joint Statement, maintained frequent exchanges at top and other levels, increased political trust and conducted fruitful cooperation on trade, investment, energy resources, public health, environment, education and culture. Under the current situation, furthering China-Canada relations is not only in the fundamental interest of both countries and their peoples, but also conducive to promoting regional and world peace, stability and prosperity. China is ready to work with Canada to seize the current favorable opportunities, enhance exchanges at top and other levels and increase political trust. Yang also urged both sides to deepen pragmatic cooperation, expand humanities exchanges, and keep closer multilateral coordination so as to jointly push bilateral strategic partnership to a new level.

Baird said the Canadian government attaches great importance to ties with China and takes developing the ties as one of the core objectives for the country's overall foreign policy. Canada hopes to work with China to enhance high-level exchanges and advance mutually beneficial cooperation on trade, investment, education and humanities based on the spirit of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and China-Canada Joint Statement. Baird said that he hopes more Chinese enterprises will invest in Canada, and students from both countries will participate in more exchange programs in the future. Canada is ready to work closely with China to push bilateral ties to a new high based on mutual trust, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Baird reiterated Canada's adherence to the one-China policy.

Both sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.