PM Mark Carney speaks in Terrace BC
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to China next week, marking the first visit by a Canadian prime minister since 2017, as Ottawa and Beijing look to stabilize a relationship strained by years of diplomatic and trade disputes.
International security and trade are expected to dominate the Jan. 13 to 17 visit, with particular attention on energy and agriculture. The Prime Minister’s Office has not confirmed whether Carney will meet directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the trip.
Carney and Xi last met on Oct. 31 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea, the first official meeting between Canadian and Chinese leaders in more than seven years. That meeting followed a prolonged period of tension that began after former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s last visit to China in December 2017.
Relations deteriorated sharply in 2018 after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States. China responded by detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were held for nearly three years before being released in September 2021 following a deferred prosecution agreement in the U.S. case against Meng.
Trade friction has also weighed on bilateral ties. Over the past two years, Canada imposed a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25 per cent import tax on steel and aluminum. China retaliated with tariffs on Canadian agricultural exports, including canola oil and peas, as well as levies on pork and seafood. Beijing has said those measures would be lifted if Canada dropped its EV tariffs.
After the October meeting, Carney said he was pleased with the discussion and suggested it could mark a turning point in Canada China relations. The comments contrasted with remarks made earlier in the federal election campaign, when Carney described China as the biggest security threat facing Canada, citing concerns over foreign interference and activity in the Arctic.
Carney has since said Canada’s approach is to work with China where interests align, while defending Canadian sovereignty and democratic institutions.
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