Canada is going to start paying more attention to China, International Trade Minister David Emerson said Tuesday.

Emerson made the comment after signing a science and trade deal in Beijing.

Canada's International Trade Minister David Emerson, left, meets with Chinese officials during his trip to China this week.
(Anthony Germain/CBC)

The agreement is a general promise for high-technology firms to co-operate, and it contains some provisions meant to prevent the Chinese from ripping off Canadian technology.

In China for this week on a trade mission, Emerson said the country is on a new top 10 list of countries where Canada will focus.

"We need more resources here in China," he said. "We need to focus it more."

The science and trade deal is one of the few high-profile agreements between Canada and China since Emerson joined the Conservatives following last January's federal election.

Upon taking office early last year, Stephen Harper's Conservative government took a hard line on human rights in China

In November 2006, at the APEC meeting, China declined a formal meeting with Canada. Instead, Harper had a brief informal discussion with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Harper said at the time that the Chinese wanted to put conditions on what would be raised at the meeting, but he said Canada wouldn't soften its position on human rights to improve relations.

In an interview on CBC Newsworld Tuesday, Emerson acknowleged "there is more to be done. There is no doubt about that."

But he said promoting human rights in China can work to reinforce a trade agenda, not detract from it.

Emerson did not say when he will release details on Canada's new trade policy.