US President Joe Biden visits Canada for the first time and both countries promise to promote cooperation in many areas

March 26, 2023 at 18:52 pm

US President Joe Biden (left) visited Canada for the first time since taking office between March 23 and 24.

[Asiantaeth Newyddion Tsieina]US President Biden visited Canada for the first time since taking office between March 23 and 24. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Biden issued a joint statement, promising that the two countries will promote cooperation on common priorities in several field

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

Regarding key minerals and semiconductor supply chains, both 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 by 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 drawn the attention of Canadian public opinion. As an alternative to tackling irregular immigration, Canada has agreed to accept 15,000 immigrants from the Western Hemisphere this year on humanitarian grounds.

In terms of defensive security, both 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 over-the-horizon airwave radar (OTHR) early warning and threat tracking system will be installed in southern Ontario.