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GUANGZHOU, China — Justin Trudeau’s last day in China started with an eye-dotting ceremony, the tradition of marking the eyes of dancers’ lion costumes with symbolic blood.

Chinese tradition suggests the dots — red, symbolizing fire, life and good luck — awaken and tame the lion.

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The ceremony also gave birth to a thousand tortured metaphors from my colleagues about how the Prime Minister had failed to tame the Chinese and persuade them to fall into line with his progressive trade agenda.

Trudeau left China without the agreement to launch free trade talks that had seemed so feasible on his arrival in Beijing, though in his closing press conference Thursday the Prime Minister declared victory.

Photo by Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press

“We have taken positive steps toward a strengthened partnership. We have made a lot of progress,” he said.

But that’s a perspective unsupported by the facts.

The Canadian delegation arrived in the belief that the Chinese had agreed to a framework that included separate chapters on the environment, labour standards, state-owned enterprises and public procurement — pre-conditions laid down by Trudeau during his visit last year, and apparently accepted by the Chinese.