Chinese ambassador strikes conciliatory tone

China's ambassador to Canada played down on Friday a sudden deterioration of bilateral ties that have been strained by allegations of Chinese hacking and the detention of a Canadian couple.

Luo Zhaohui said in an article posted on The Globe and Mail's website on Friday that while it was "hard to avoid bumps and grumps between countries", the overall state of relations was good. He also cited the prospects for more trade.

"We should focus on practical co-operation and manage our differences broadly to keep the sustainable development of China-Canada relations on the right track," he wrote.