Prime Minister Mark Carney has arrived in Beijing for his first visit to China as a Canadian prime minister in eight years. During his visit, Carney is scheduled to meet with senior communist leaders on Thursday, followed by a meeting with President Xi Jinping and a business banquet on Friday.
This visit holds significance as it follows the detention of two Canadians by China for nearly three years in 2019, in response to the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Vancouver on a U.S. extradition warrant. Carney aims to focus on enhancing trade and environmental collaboration with China while ensuring that sensitive sectors related to national security or the Arctic are not compromised.
One of the key issues on the agenda is China’s imposition of heavy tariffs on Canadian exports such as pork, canola, and seafood, in retaliation to Ottawa’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum. The premiers of Western and Atlantic provinces are advocating for the removal of these tariffs, with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe concurrently visiting China during Carney’s trip. However, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has expressed concerns about potential policy changes that could impact the Canadian auto sector.
This visit is viewed as a critical opportunity for China and Canada to mend diplomatic strains and work towards increasing non-U.S. trade by 2035. It comes against a backdrop of past warnings about Chinese interference in Canadian elections, human rights violations concerning the Uyghur minority and free speech in Hong Kong, and military activities aimed at expanding China’s territorial claims beyond international boundaries.
In response to these challenges, the Canadian government has characterized China as a “disruptive global power” that diverges from Canada’s principles. Despite this, Carney’s administration has emphasized the importance of strategic partnership with Beijing, advising Liberal MPs to conclude a Taiwan visit early to avoid conflicting with Ottawa’s stance on the island’s status.