Stephen Harper, Canada’s Prime Minister, arrived in Beijing last December 2, 2009. The Canadian Prime Minister’s visit is touted by Chinese experts as a move made by Canada to patch up its ties with China after the Ottawa incident.

Canada’s foreign relations with China went sour after a series of disagreements. These disagreements came to a climax right after Stephen Harper took office a few years ago. His conservation type of government implemented a more stringent rule towards China’s human rights record.

Stephen Harper’s four-day trip to China is the first so far. Foreign policy and foreign relations analysts speculate that Harper’s visit was aimed towards repairing China and Canada’s sour relationship and to overcome all negative sentiments between both parties. Upon his arrival in Beijing, Stephen Harper was scheduled to meet with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao in order to discuss tactics on how to strengthen trade and improve overall ties between both countries.

Upon his arrival at the Beijing airport, the Canadian Prime Minister was greeted by children bearing flowers. Stephen Harper was accompanied by a 40-strong member entourage that included the Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, the International Trade Minister Stockwell Day, as well as his 40-year old wife Laureen.

Most Chinese commentators have interpreted Stephen Harper’s trip as a way to earn apology from the Chinese people for the way the Canadian Prime Minister angered the Chinese government for giving the Dalai Lama honorary Canadian citizenship award to an exiled Tibetan leader in 2006. The Chinese government also expressed their disapproval towards a public meeting between the Canadian Prime Minister and the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2007. The Chinese government referred to it as a “gross interference” in its internal affairs.

However, the Canadian government started to improve its foreign relations with the Chinese people since the country has shown tremendous improvements in its economy. Apart from Beijing, Stephen Harper was also scheduled to visit Hong Kong and Shanghai before going to South Korea.