BEIJING - Newly-appointed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Canadian counterpart John Baird held a phone conversation Tuesday and the two sides agreed to advance the bilateral relations.

Baird said Canadian leaders are looking forward to establishing good working relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and the rest of the new Chinese leadership.

Congratulating Wang on his appointment, Baird also expressed the hope to conduct close communication and cooperation with his Chinese counterpart over Canada-China ties, trade cooperation as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

Wang said the Chinese and Canadian economies are complementary, with solid cooperation foundation and huge potential.

He said China's new leadership and the Chinese government attach great importance to the bilateral relationship and are willing to work with the Canadian side to keep the right direction of that relationship and further implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two sides, enhance political mutual trust, take care of each other's concerns, so as to further promote the relationship.