Premier Li Keqiang and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to deepen bilateral relations over a phone call on Oct 28.

In a telephone conversation, the Premier first congratulated Trudeau on his election. During the tenure of Trudeau’s father, Pierre Trudeau, as Canada’s prime minister 45 years ago, China and Canada officially established diplomatic ties, opening a new chapter in the development of bilateral relations, Premier Li said. Chinese people will not forget old friends, he said.

The Premier noted that both as countries with important influences in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Canada have maintained good relations.

He added that China is willing to work with Canada to improve high-level contact, enhance strategic mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation in such fields as trade and investment, education and culture, local areas and young people, deepen communication and coordination in major international and regional affairs, in order to promote bilateral relations to make further progress and maintain peace, development, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

“I’m looking forward to making positive efforts jointly with you to deepen China-Canada relations,” said Premier Li.

In response, the Canadian prime minister said friendly exchanges between Canada and China enjoy a long history. The story of Norman Bethune, a Canadian doctor who worked in China during the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945), has become a much-told tale marking the friendship of people of the two countries, he said.

There is a broad prospect for bilateral cooperation, said Trudeau, adding that it serves the interests of both countries and even the whole world to develop bilateral ties.

Thinking highly of the relations with China, the new Canadian government is willing to maintain high-level exchanges and dialogues and step up all-around cooperation with China, in order to promote the bilateral relationship to a new level and open up new ground for friendly cooperation of the two countries, said the prime minister.