Biden and Trudeau united against authoritarian regimes after China-Russia summit

OTTAWA, March 24 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented a united front against authoritarian regimes on Friday when Biden visited the Canadian capital days after the leaders of China and Russia will hold a summit in Moscow.

Images of Biden and Trudeau standing side by side in Ottawa announcing deals involving semiconductors and migration provided a counterpoint to the scene in Moscow a few days ago.

There, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin professed friendship and promised closer ties as Russia struggles to make progress in what the West sees as an unfair invasion of Ukraine.

In a joint press conference with Trudeau, Biden questioned the level of cooperation between China and Russia, noting that China has not provided Russia with weapons to use against Ukraine.

Biden said the US had expanded its alliances, including with NATO, the G7, South Korea and the quadruple nations of the US, Australia, India and Japan.

“We have significantly expanded our alliances,” Biden said. “Tell me how you view, in fact, a circumstance where China has made a significant commitment to Russia. What commitment can they make?”

Addressing Canada’s parliament, Biden said that as NATO members, the two countries would “defend every inch of NATO territory.”

Trudeau said at the press conference that Ukraine was an important issue.

“Today we reaffirm our strong support for the Ukrainian people as they defend themselves against Putin’s brutal and barbaric invasion,” Trudeau said.

SEMICONDUCTORS, EVS

At the press conference, Trudeau announced that the two leaders had signed an agreement with IBM. (IBM.N) to build semiconductor capacity and ease reliance on foreign manufacturers after supply chain problems plagued both countries.

The US Defense Production Act will award $250 million, Biden said.

Canada has a wealth of critical minerals that are used to produce batteries and electric vehicles (EVs), but China currently dominates the global market.

Trudeau is preparing a budget to be published on Tuesday with the goal of expanding critical minerals and clean technology. production.

“With increasing competition, even from an increasingly assertive China, there is no question why it is important that we come together now to build a North American market in everything from semiconductors to batteries to solar panels,” Trudeau said.

Biden announced $50 million to incentivize US and Canadian companies to invest in packaging semiconductors and said Canada would provide up to C$250 million ($182 million) for near-term semiconductor projects, according to a joint statement.

The two countries also agreed to an energy transformation task force focused on clean energy and vowed to cooperate on a “critical mineral supply chain from North America,” the statement said.

Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, two Canadian men who China had stopped for more than 1,000 days until 2021, they attended the speeches. Both leaders addressed the men, who had been at the center of a dispute between Washington and Beijing.

“They are not diplomatic influence. They are human beings with lives and families that must be respected,” Biden said.

Before their meetings, the two leaders had already reached an agreement aimed at stop asylum seekers of crossing the shared land border between the US and Canada through unofficial crossings.

“The United States and Canada will work together to discourage illegal border crossings and fully implement the updated Safe Third Country Agreement,” Biden said of the agreement. Canada agreed to take in 1,500 immigrants from “Western Hemisphere” countries as part of the deal.

($1 = 1.3737 Canadian dollars)

Reporting by Steve Scherer and Andrea Shalal in Ottawa; Additional reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa, Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto, Ted Hesson and Rami Ayyub in Washington; Written by Steve Scherer and Steve Holland; Edited by Bradley Perrett, Jonathan Oatis, Heather Timmons, and Josie Kao

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