By Doina Chiacu
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau on Friday suggested that China uses slave labor
in the production of lithium as he discussed Canada's efforts to
ramp up production of the critical metal used in electric
vehicle and other batteries.
Canada last fall announced a tougher policy on critical
mineral investment - particularly from dominant producer China -
as it worked to shore up its domestic supply of critical
minerals after the global pandemic exposed supply chain problems
that caused major production disruptions.
Canada has significant sources of lithium, Trudeau said.
However China has made strategic choices over the decades that
have made it by far the world's largest producer of the lithium
used in cell phones and electric vehicles, he added in remarks
at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.
"If we're honest ... the lithium produced in Canada is going
to be more expensive, because we don't use slave labor," Trudeau
said.
"Because we put forward environmental responsibility as
something we actually expect to be abided by. Because we count
on working with, in partnership with indigenous peoples, paying
their living wages, expecting security and safety standards."
A representative for the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.
Diplomatic tensions between Canada and China have been
running high since the detention of Huawei Technologies
executive Meng Wanzhou in 2018 and Beijing's subsequent arrest
of two Canadians on spying charges.
In November, Canada ordered three Chinese companies to
divest their investments in Canadian critical minerals, citing
national security. China in response accused Ottawa of using
national security as a pretext and said the divestment order
broke international commerce and market rules.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Trudeau presented a united
front last month against authoritarian regimes as Biden visited
the Canadian capital days after the leaders of China and Russia
held a Moscow summit.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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