According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, battery metals produced in Canada are expensive because they are produced in an ethically sustainable way.
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau suggests that China uses slave labor to produce the lithium needed for batteries.
Trudeau commented on China’s actions while speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank event in New York on Friday.
Since the pandemic, Canada has sought to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers of critical minerals, especially China.
According to Trudeau, Canada has significant lithium reserves. However, China dominates lithium production chains and over the decades has become by far the largest supplier of battery metals.
– If we’re being honest… lithium produced in Canada will be more expensive because we don’t use slave labor, Trudeau commented according to the news agency Reuters.
The prime minister emphasized that Canada also adheres to environmental values and respects the rights of indigenous peoples in mining.
Relations between China and Canada have tightened
So far, the Chinese embassy in Canada has not commented on Trudeau’s insinuation.
Relations between the two countries have been strained for several years. The decline began in 2018, when Canada arrested the CFO of the Huawei company Meng to Wanzhouafter which China in turn imprisoned two Canadians and accused them of espionage.
Last November, Canada ordered three Chinese companies to divest from investments related to critical minerals in Canada. The order was justified on the grounds of national security.
According to China, Canada used security as an excuse to break international trade rules.
Source: Reuters