“First-time Visit of U.S. President Biden to Canada Results in Promises of Cooperation in Various Fields between the Two Countries”

March 26, 2023 at 18:52 PM

U.S. President Joe Biden (left) made his first visit to Canada since he took office from March 23 to 24.

[China News Agency]US President Biden made his first visit to Canada since he took office from March 23 to 24. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Biden issued a joint statement, promising that the two countries will advance cooperation on common priorities in multiple fields.

In terms of transitioning to a clean economy and creating jobs, the two countries have decided to set up a one-year energy transition working group to speed up bilateral cooperation. The two sides agreed to promote trade in products such as clean steel and aluminum, and continue to cooperate in areas such as renewable energy and electric vehicle supply chains, critical mineral value chains, nuclear energy and zero-emission vehicles. The two sides will continue to discuss the Canadian side’s request to include Canadian products in “Buy American”.

In terms of key minerals and semiconductor supply chains, the two sides agreed to increase investment in related industries and promote cross-border semiconductor manufacturing corridors.

In terms of solving the problem of irregular immigration, Canada and the United States will expand the scope of the “Safe Third Country Agreement” from March 25, making it applicable not only to designated ports of entry, but also to the entire land border including inland waterways. The new move means allowing both sides to return asylum seekers at the border. Since 2017, a large number of refugees and other asylum seekers have entered Canada from the United States through unofficial transit ports, which has aroused the attention of Canadian public opinion. As an alternative to addressing irregular immigration, Canada has agreed to accept 15,000 immigrants from the Western Hemisphere this year on humanitarian grounds.

On the defensive security front, the two sides agreed to spend on the modernization of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The Canadian side will invest 7.3 billion Canadian dollars to upgrade and build new fighter-related infrastructure. An early warning sky-wave over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) and threat tracking system will be installed in southern Ontario.