By Anietie Anii-Bassey
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that Canada and China are entering a new chapter in their relationship, as he began the first visit by a Canadian leader to Beijing in eight years with a pledge to rebuild dialogue after a prolonged period of diplomatic strain.
Carney, who took office 10 months ago, arrived in the Chinese capital amid efforts to stabilize and eventually expand ties that have been badly frayed by years of disputes over trade, technology and geopolitics. His visit comes against the backdrop of heightened global economic uncertainty and renewed trade tensions sparked by higher U.S. tariffs, which have sharpened Ottawa’s urgency to diversify its export markets beyond the United States.
During meetings with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Carney spoke of the need to move beyond past confrontations and establish a more pragmatic relationship. Li, for his part, welcomed the visit as a sign of renewed engagement and said the talks marked a turnaround after years of tension.
Carney is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping on Friday, a meeting expected to signal whether both sides are prepared to make substantive changes to the relationship.
Carney’s push to reset relations with Beijing reflects a broader economic strategy. More than three-quarters of Canada’s exports currently go to the United States, leaving the country highly exposed to shifts in U.S. trade policy.
With President Donald Trump imposing new tariffs on a range of imports, Carney has set an ambitious goal of doubling Canada’s exports to non-U.S. markets over the next decade, with China viewed as a critical, if complicated, partner.
On Thursday, the prime minister met with executives from several major Chinese companies, including e-commerce giant Alibaba, state-owned energy firm China National Petroleum Corporation, and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, the world’s leading producer of electric vehicle batteries. The meetings underscored Canada’s interest in attracting investment and expanding commercial ties in sectors such as technology, energy and clean transportation.
“We’re ready to build a new partnership — one that builds on the best of our past and responds to the challenges of today,” Carney wrote in a message posted after his arrival in Beijing, signaling a tone of cautious optimism.
Relations between the two countries have been strained since late 2018, when Canadian authorities detained Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver’s airport at the request of the United States.
Beijing responded by arresting two Canadians on espionage charges, a move widely seen in Canada as retaliation. The episode cast a long shadow over bilateral relations, which only began to ease after all three detainees were released nearly three years later.
Trade disputes have further complicated ties. In 2024, Canada followed Washington’s lead by imposing steep tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, along with duties on steel and aluminum, citing concerns about unfair competition and industrial overcapacity.
Beijing responded with retaliatory measures, including heavy tariffs on Canadian agricultural exports such as canola oil, canola meal, pork and seafood. Additional duties on canola seeds effectively shut Canadian producers out of the Chinese market, dealing a major blow to one of Canada’s most important farm sectors.
China has signaled that it hopes mounting trade pressure from Washington will encourage U.S. allies, including Canada, to pursue a more independent foreign policy. Chinese officials have repeatedly accused the United States of rallying partners to contain China’s rise, particularly in recent years.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who is traveling with Carney, met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Thursday. According to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry, Anand said Carney was eager to chart a new course for bilateral relations and revive dialogue across multiple areas of cooperation. Wang described the visit as a potential turning point that could open new prospects for engagement.
While Carney’s visit has raised expectations of a thaw, significant obstacles remain. Disagreements over trade practices, human rights and security concerns continue to test the relationship.
Still, both sides appear to be signaling that the costs of prolonged estrangement are too high, particularly at a time when shifting global trade patterns are forcing countries to reassess old alliances and economic dependencies.
As Carney prepares to meet Xi, diplomats and business leaders will be watching closely for signs that the visit produces more than symbolic gestures, and whether the two governments can translate renewed dialogue into concrete steps toward stabilizing one of Canada’s most consequential — and contentious — international relationships.
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