Canada, China quietly hold top-level meeting on strained ties

Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird attends an event in Hong Kong August 6, 2014. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Senior officials from Canada and China met quietly in Ottawa last week to discuss relations that have deteriorated so badly that they could threaten Prime Minister Stephen Harper's planned visit to China in November.

Canada sees China as an important trading partner and in early 2012 Harper went to Beijing to pitch the idea of Canada as a potential oil supplier. The closeness of the ties are in question after two high-profile incidents.