Canadian Foreign Minister: "We Will Win the Trade War with the US"

Canadian Foreign Minister on BBC

"Exerting the Greatest Influence on the US"

Facing tariff threats from the second Trump administration, Canada's Foreign Minister stated that the winner of the trade war would be their country.

Melanie Joly, Canada's Foreign Minister, emphasized in an interview with the BBC World Service on the 23rd (local time) that "we are the biggest customer of the United States," adding that "Canada buys more goods from Americans than China, Japan, the UK, and France combined."

Minister Joly stated that since the economies of the US and Canada are closely intertwined, "we can exert the greatest influence on the world regarding the United States." She also criticized that not only Canadians but also "hardworking Americans" are feeling the pain from tariffs.

Minister Joly said, "Ultimately, the only people who can help us win this war are the Americans," because "they are the ones who can send messages to their legislators."

She explained that tariffs are putting jobs in both the US and Canada at risk, stating, "We can win the hearts of Americans," because "ultimately, they are the ones paying the price for this (trade war)."

The Trump administration imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian imports on the 4th but deferred the 25% tariff on items subject to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), including automobiles, until the 2nd of next month.

The Canadian government, as a first-stage response, imposed retaliatory tariffs on US imports worth 30 billion Canadian dollars (about 30.7 trillion won) and has maintained them.

Separately, the Trump administration imposed a 25% tariff on all steel, aluminum, and derivative products from Canada and others starting on the 12th. Canada also responded with retaliatory tariffs on US steel and aluminum products worth 29.8 billion Canadian dollars.

Kim Dae-young, Hankyung.com reporter kdy@hankyung.com