Beijing (AFP) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is meeting with top Chinese leaders in Beijing on Thursday, hoping to repair a long acrimonious relationship as he pulls away from traditional ally the United States. Carney is the first Canadian leader to visit China in eight years and has said the two countries are at a “turning point” in their strained relations. Following President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs on Canadian products, Carney has sought to reduce his country’s economic reliance on its main market, the United States.
Video from Chinese state media showed Carney arriving in Beijing for his four-day state visit late Wednesday evening to a red carpet welcome. He is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, among other government and business leaders for trade talks. Ties between the two nations withered in 2018 when Canada arrested the daughter of Huawei’s founder on a US warrant, leading to China’s retaliatory detention of two Canadians on espionage charges.
The two countries imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on each other’s exports in the years that ensued, with China also being accused of interfering in Canada’s elections. Caught in the tariffs crossfire were Chinese electric vehicles along with Canadian canola oil and other agricultural goods. The last time Chinese and Canadian leaders formally met was when then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Beijing in 2017. But there have been signs of warming ties under Carney, who met Xi on the sidelines of an APEC summit in October.
China has shown a willingness to rekindle the relationship, with Xi telling Carney after their meeting that it has “shown a recovery” towards “the right track.” Officials from the two countries have been in talks to lower tariffs, but an agreement has yet to be reached. Beijing, meanwhile, said this week it “attaches high importance” to Carney’s visit.
Ottawa has traditionally been hawkish towards Beijing, positioning itself in alliance with the United States. However, Canada has been hit especially hard by Trump’s steep tariffs on steel, aluminum, vehicles, and lumber, prompting a change of heart. In October, Carney said Canada should double its non-US exports by 2035 to reduce reliance on the United States.
Despite this, the United States remains far and away its largest market, buying around 75 percent of Canadian exports in 2024, according to Canadian government statistics. While Ottawa has stressed that China is Canada’s second-largest market, it lags far behind, buying less than four percent of Canadian exports in 2024. Carney will be looking to raise that figure, with his office stating that the visit aims to “elevate engagement on trade, energy, agriculture, and international security.”
© 2024 AFP
