OTTAWA, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday that he will double the country's exports to non-U.S. markets over the next decade to reduce its economic reliance on the United States.

In a speech outlining his government's priorities for the next month's federal budget, Carney said the nature of the trade relationship with the United States is changing, thus setting the goal of doubling non-U.S. exports in the next 10 years.

The government is preparing to "build a stronger economy" against the backdrop of "a more dynamic, a more competitive, a more hostile world," Carney said.

"If we don't act now, the pressures will only grow," said Carney. "We won't transform our economy easily or in a few months. It will take some sacrifices and it will take some time."

Since the beginning of this year, Canada and the United States have clashed multiple times over tariffs. In March, Carney stated that the traditional relationship between Canada and the United States, built on deepening economic integration, was "over" and that Canada must fundamentally reshape its economy.

In September, the Carney government announced a massive infrastructure plan covering energy, mining and port expansion, aimed at boosting the domestic economy and reducing dependence on the United States.

The United States is currently Canada's most important trading partner, with about three quarters of Canada's merchandise exports going to the United States. ■