'We're at an impasse' with China, says Canadian Finance Minister Morneau

Canadian Minister of Finance William Morneau speaks at the World Bank Group/International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings in Washington on October 12, 2017.

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

I can't say that I necessarily have a sense of optimism, because we're at an impasse. It's a difficult moment.

Bill Morneau

finance minister, Canada

Complicating the situation is continued tension between the United States and China. Canada is a close ally of the U.S. and has been accused by China's state-run media of helping Washington humiliate Beijing.

Morneau, speaking to CNBC's Nancy Hungerford on Saturday, said the U.S.-China relationship is integral to how his country can move forward with Beijing. But Washington and Beijing have halted high-level talks, and any progress between Canada and China appears stalled for now, he said.

"Generally, what we can say quite clearly is the idea that we're going to put people in jail around effectively a trading issue is just inappropriate. There's no way for us to conduct business over the long term — that's been clearly communicated," the minister said at the G-20 Summit and Ministerial Meetings in Japan.

"I can't say that I necessarily have a sense of optimism, because we're at an impasse. It's a difficult moment," he added.

China's cancellation of canola shipments from Canada also doesn't make sense, according to Morneau, adding that he's concerned Beijing could extend the same treatment to other products from his country.

"I don't want to speculate on what might be next but we don't think that ... the stoppage of canola trade is really one that's done on grounds that make sense," he said.

"And of course we're concerned with the spectra of other products being either delayed at the border or in some way taken out of the trading relationship," the minister added. "This is a real concern."

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