Xinhua Agency, Washington/Ottawa, October 7. When U.S. President Trump met with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Carney at the White House on the 7th, he said that he regarded Canada as an economic competitor and that there was a "natural conflict" between the two countries, and once again mentioned the integration of Canada into the United States.

In response to a reporter¡¯s question about whether Carney would leave empty-handed, Trump said, ¡°They¡¯ll leave very satisfied,¡± and ¡°The Canadian people will fall in love with us again.¡±But at the same time, he said that hoping to use their own products in the U.S. market, Americans didn¡¯t want to buy Canadian-made cars and steel, and made it clear that it was impossible to reach a totally tariff-free deal with Canada.

Trump said Canada's contiguous relationship with the United States has made trade relations between the two countries more complicated. "Other countries are far away, but there is no problem." He said,"When we compete, we are hurting each other to some extent. So we have a natural conflict."

Trump also said that the two countries are working closely on the U.S. Golden Dome missile defense system, but gave no details. Trump said in May this year that if Canada wanted to join the Golden Dome system, it would have to pay $61 billion, but "if they became the 51st state cherished by the United States, there would be no need to pay anything."

As Carney listed some of Trump's alleged diplomatic achievements, Trump interrupted and interjected: "There is also the merger of Canada and the United States." Carney responded amid laughter: "No, that's not what I'm talking about."

According to Canadian media reports, Dominica LeBlanc, Canada's Minister for Canada-US Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and Canada's Economic Integration, informed the media on the 7th that the meeting between the leaders of the two countries was "successful, positive and substantive.", but he did not specify why the two sides have not yet reached a tariff agreement. He said that representatives of the two countries will continue dialogue and follow-up talks will focus on the fields of steel, aluminum and energy. Ontario Governor Doug Ford said on the same day that his patience with the United States was running out and that if an agreement could not be reached soon, Canada should retaliate with retaliatory tariffs.

Trump has repeatedly publicly stated that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States, and said that it should be achieved by "economic power". He once called Trudeau, then Prime Minister of Canada, "Governor of Canada". Trump's remarks were widely opposed by Canada.