While Washington is thinking about exemptions to the heavy duties applied to Canadian softwood lumber, its North American neighbour seeks an increase in lumber exports to China.
The Canadian press reported last week that the U.S. officials weighed possible exemptions to the hefty duties as a means to help the domestic economy, but also to ease the way for talks towards a new softwood treaty, to replace the last agreement that expired in 2001.
Anxious to lessen Canada's reliance on the contentious U.S. market,
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin made a direct pitch to Chinese President Hu Jintao over the weekend to sell more Canadian softwood to China, according to Globe and Mail's latest edition.
The Canadian proposal was well received by the Chinese president, who called for an increase in trade between Canada and China to over US$30 billion by 2010.
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