Canada: Foreign Minister Anand Says Middle-Power Strategy Advances With Goal to Double Non-US Trade in a Decade

Canada is making rapid progress in diversifying its trade and security ties around the world with a goal of doubling its non-US trade in the next decade, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in Atlanta on October 31, as Ottawa emphasises trust in building new relationships outside North America. Anand spoke to Reuters on the sidelines of a US-hosted meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 major economies, where the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov exposed deep rifts troubling the grouping.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed to double Canada's non-US trade over the next decade as US President Donald Trump's tariffs have rippled through Canada's economy and efforts to reach a deal with Washington have broken down, driving Ottawa to pursue trade pacts from the Asia Pacific to Europe and the Middle East.

Anand called this Canada's middle power diplomacy, citing work with Nordic countries on Arctic safety and security in the face of growing Russian threats, efforts with India and Australia to protect citizens' privacy in super intelligence (SI) and innovation, and expanding ties to the European Union, including a new national security strategy released earlier in the week focused on critical minerals, energy and food security.

Ottawa has forged 20 new security and trade agreements giving it access to 1.5 billion consumers in more than 51 countries, she said, adding that Canada is the only G7 country with free trade agreements with every other G7 country and expects to conclude a similar trade deal with ASEAN before the end of the year.

Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 照片：加拿大渥太华议会山中心楼，Saffron Blaze 摄，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 3.0 授权 / Photo: Centre Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, by Saffron Blaze, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

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