Do you think the Sino-Canadian trade ties will experience the same rising friction as the Sino-U.S. trade ties did? How do we address the issue in a more effective way?

We enjoyed a long and privileged relationship with China. We have been able, over the years, to mostly agree when we’ve disagreed (we’ve disagreed civilly in a mutual respectful way). We've been able to find solutions to differences that any bilateral relationship has. But that’s not the surprise. The question is that how do you go about solving those differences or those trade issues.

I'm confident and convinced that if we've been able to lay down that foundation since our diplomatic relations back in the 1970s; there is no reason why the future can’t be more reflective of that. It means having the relationship politically, having a balanced engagement on numerous fronts, and also moving not only just bilaterally but using that partnership by applying it multilaterally.

According to the Canadian-based Global Chinese Press, the organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games have released a business guide in Chinese, which aims to provide opportunities to Chinese traders. Do you see any possible cooperation between the two countries in terms of the service sector during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Shanghai World Expo 2010?

I certainly hope so. In fact, in Shanghai the other day, we launched a new initiative called Shanghai-CCBC Trade and Investment Forum. One of the areas that we went into great detail with the deputy director of the Expo about, was the opportunities that would flow from the Expo before, during and after for Canadian companies. We had a very good discussion on that. So what we'd hope for is that the linkage between the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the Expo and our own Winter Olympics provides not only a wonderful environment for our athletes of the Olympics, both in summer and winter, but also hopefully commercial benefits and opportunities our companies can have in Beijing and Chinese companies can have in Vancouver.

In August 1999, you were appointed Canadian Ambassador to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, and later elected Chairman of the WTO Geneva Council. How do you see China’s performance in abiding by the WTO regulations?

I was happy to be there in 2001 when China entered the WTO family. My feeling then, as it as today, is that the Chinese have become an instrumental player in the WTO very quickly because of their economy, size and importance, and also because of their approach. They've been very constructive, and they are looked up to not only by other developing countries but by all countries in Geneva.

When I was the Chairman of the Geneva Council, I would invite ambassadors to talk about an issue or challenge; I would never do without inviting the Ambassador from China, who obviously represented a country that was very important to the ultimate deal-making in the WTO.

You have a first-class ambassador, Sun Zhenyu, who is a very good friend of mine. He is friendly and is an extraordinary diplomat of significant knowledge and wisdom.

I think China will continue to play a major and increasing role in the WTO.

You used to be a federal cabinet minister in three different portfolios including Citizenship and Immigration, Environment and International Trade. How do you view the role of Chinese immigrants in Canada?

That is a large community--over one million people in the Chinese-Canadian community and they played a multifaceted role, both culturally and socially. Chinese is the third most spoken language after English and French, our two official languages. When we speak of it economically, the community is very entrepreneurial; it is a bridge as well -- there was a study done not too long ago that showed that the vast majority of Canadian-Chinese companies in Canada have done business with China, and have also helped other Canadian companies do business in China or Chinese companies do business in Canada. We need to utilize that as the resource between our two countries.

You majored in urban planning. How do you view the Olympic venue construction projects in Beijing? Have you ever been to the Water Cube or the Bird's Nest?

I haven't had the opportunity to see the Olympic venues yet. I'm an urban planner who has never practiced urban planning. So much for planning my life.

I have had the fortune to see the incredible infrastructure and architecture which have now designed your cities and your skyline. It is breathtaking; it is an incredible energy of construction and cranes.

I have no doubt the Olympic site and the Expo site for 2010 will be projects of first-class, in terms of planning. The Expo site is also the whole theme of "Better City, Better Life". So I believe that the Expo site will be a wonderful reminder of how we can make our cities livable, and the Expo will be a real opportunity to blend urban planning and architecture with the desire of good quality of life.