Canada names envoy to China amid 'critical' time

Dominic Barton was named Canada's ambassador to China on Wednesday, filling a post in Beijing that was vacant for seven months, the prime minister's office announced in a statement.

Barton, a former McKinsey& Co executive, chaired Canada's Advisory Council on Economic Growth. He has directly advised Canada's Cabinet and has served as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Public Service.

China has agreed to Canada's newly appointed ambassador to assume his new post in China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday.

"We expect that he will play an active role for promoting the China-Canada relationship back on the right track," Geng said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

From 2009 to 2018, Barton was global managing partner at consulting firm McKinsey, where he worked in international business and trade - including as head of the firm's office in South Korea and chairman in Asia.

"His years of experience in Asia and the significant global economics expertise he has acquired over an impressive career will make him a great choice to represent Canada - and Canadian interests - in China," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in the statement.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland called Barton an "expert" on China who is "exceptionally well-suited to represent Canada and advance Canadian interests at this critical time".

Freeland said that this appointment sends a key message to China "of the importance that Canada places, that the prime minister places on this difficult and critical relationship".

"It is an honor to be appointed as Canada's Ambassador to China. The relationship between Canada and China is an important one, and I will work hard to represent our great country and to resolve the challenges that currently exist," Barton said in the statement.

One of those challenges was the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co CFO Meng Wanzhou at the Vancouver International Airport on Dec 1, at the request of the United States.

Sources said Barton's appointment at a "critical" time was the result of a bilateral meeting Freeland had with her Chinese counterpart, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at an ASEAN summit in Bangkok in August.

Geng, the spokesman, said that the Canadian side is fully responsible for the severe difficulties facing China-Canada relationship and it knows clearly where the trouble lies.

"We urge the Canadian side to reflect on its mistakes, seriously consider China's solemn position and concerns, immediately release Meng Wanzhou and ensure her safe return to China," he added.

Canada has been without an ambassador since the beginning of the year, when the previous envoy, John McCallum, was forced to resign after making controversial statements on Meng's legal case. Canada and China have since been locked in a diplomatic dispute.

Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of The Business Council of Canada, told CTV news that "there's probably not a partisan bone in his body", but it is "an important step forward" for the bilateral relationship.

renali@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 09/06/2019 page12)