On the afternoon of September 23, 2016 local time, Premier Li Keqiang met with Mayor of Montreal Denis Coderre at the hotel where he stayed in Montreal.

Li Keqiang said that as one of the economic, cultural and technological hubs of Canada, Montreal is also a major destination for Chinese investors and tourists. It is hoped that Montreal can give play to its comparative advantages to deepen cooperation and exchanges on trade, investment, aviation, tourism and a wide range of other areas with more places in China, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

Li Keqiang pointed out that urbanization is an important component of modernization. China now is conducting modernization construction, and industrialization will certainly come along with urbanization. During the process of pushing for a new type of urbanization, China is willing to enhance exchanges and mutual learning with Montreal to learn advanced experience and notions on city management and forge a new growth point for bilateral local-level cooperation.

Denis Coderre expressed that Montreal boasts sound exchanges and cooperation with Shanghai. Montreal is willing to strengthen cooperation with Shanghai and other Chinese cities in city management, environment protection, high technology, sustainable development and other aspects and give play to advantages of cooperation between large cities, so as to play a bigger role in boosting the in-depth development of Canada-China relations. Montreal hopes the feasibility study on the Canada-China free trade zone can advance smoothly.

After the meeting, Denis Coderre presented the key to the Montreal city to Premier Li Keqiang.