21 November 2016, 15:27 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland appointed John McCallum the country’s new ambassador to China, the government of Canada announced in a press release on Friday.
"The appointment of Mr. McCallum underscores the significance of the Canada-China bilateral relationship, which will be enhanced by Mr. McCallum’s exceptional experience gained in the public and private sectors during a long career in service to Canada," the release stated.
McCallum replaces former Canadian envoy to China Guy Saint-Jacques and will lead the embassy’s efforts to deepen Canada’s relationship with China.
Canada and China share a long-standing relationship on political, commercial, scientific and cultural levels. The government said renewing the bilateral relationship will help to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class.
