After a frosty decade marked by arrests, tariffs, and mutual distrust, China and Canada may be on the cusp of reconciliation. President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Beijing on Friday—the first in eight years—hints at thawing bilateral frost.
Speaking at the iconic Great Hall of the People, Carney advocated leveraging the ‘best aspects’ of the relationship to forge a partnership suited to today’s geopolitical shifts. His visit underscores Canada’s push to reduce economic dependence on the US, where escalating tariffs under Donald Trump’s renewed presidency have squeezed exporters.
The backdrop is grim: Canada’s 2018 detention of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou triggered China’s counter-moves, including the jailing of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Trade barriers followed, alongside claims of Chinese meddling in Canadian elections.
Yet, optimism flickered. Xi hailed their prior APEC dialogue as a pivotal moment, noting, ‘It initiated a new phase in enhancing our ties.’ He voiced delight at resumed cooperation dialogues over recent months, stressing mutual benefits from steady progress.
Carney’s itinerary featured talks with Premier Li Qiang and business roundtables. Beijing has signaled readiness to normalize relations. As global supply chains realign, this summit could pivot Canada toward deeper Asian engagement, balancing North American vulnerabilities with Pacific opportunities.