OTTAWA, March 24 (Portal) – U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented a united front against authoritarian regimes on Friday as Biden visited the Canadian capital, days after leaders of China and Russia held a summit in Moscow.
Images of Biden and Trudeau standing side by side in Ottawa announcing deals including on semiconductors and migration provided a counterpoint to the scene in Moscow days ago.
There, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged friendship and pledged closer ties as Russia struggles to make gains in what the West sees as an unjust invasion of Ukraine.
At a joint press conference with Trudeau, Biden questioned the level of cooperation between China and Russia, noting that China had not provided Russia with weapons to use against Ukraine.
Biden said the US has expanded alliances, including with NATO, the G7, South Korea and the quad nations of the US, Australia, India and Japan.
“We have significantly expanded our alliances,” said Biden. “Tell me how you actually view a circumstance in which China has made a significant commitment to Russia. What commitment can they make?”
Speaking to Canada’s Parliament, Biden said that as NATO members, the two countries would “defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Trudeau said at the press conference that Ukraine was a hot topic.
“Today we reiterated our unwavering support for the Ukrainian people in their defense against Putin’s brutal and barbaric invasion,” Trudeau said.
SEMICONDUCTOR, EVS
At the press conference, Trudeau announced that the two executives signed an agreement with IBM (IBM.N) to develop semiconductor capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign manufacturers after supply chain issues ravaged both countries.
[1/7] U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hold a joint press conference March 24, 2023 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Portal/Blair Gable
The US Defense Production Act will give $250 million, Biden said.
Canada has an abundance of critical minerals used to make batteries and electric vehicles (EVs), but China currently dominates the global market.
Trudeau is preparing a budget, due to be released Tuesday, aimed at increasing production of critical minerals and clean technologies.
“With growing competition, including from an increasingly assertive China, it’s undoubtedly important that we turn to each other now to build a North American market for everything from semiconductors to solar cell batteries,” Trudeau said.
Biden announced $50 million in incentive for U.S. and Canadian companies to invest in semiconductor packaging and said Canada will allocate up to CA$250 million ($182 million) to semiconductor projects in the near future, according to a joint statement .
The two countries also agreed on an energy conversion task force focused on clean energy and pledged to work together on a “North American supply chain for critical minerals,” the statement said.
Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, two Canadian men jailed by China for more than 1,000 days until 2021, took part in the speeches. Both leaders addressed the men who had been at the center of a dispute between Washington and Beijing.
“They are not diplomatic leverage. They are people with lives and families that need to be respected,” Biden said.
Prior to their meetings, the two leaders had already reached an agreement aimed at barring asylum seekers from crossing the common land border between the US and Canada via unofficial crossings.
“The United States and Canada will work together to eliminate illegal border crossings and fully implement the updated Safe Third Countries Agreement,” Biden said of the deal. Canada agreed to accept 1,500 migrants from “Western Hemisphere” countries as part of the agreement.
($1 = 1.3737 Canadian Dollars)
Reporting by Steve Scherer and Andrea Shalal in Ottawa; Additional reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa, Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto, Ted Hesson and Rami Ayyub in Washington; writing by Steve Scherer and Steve Holland; Edited by Bradley Perrett, Jonathan Oatis, Heather Timmons and Josie Kao
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