Prime Minister Mark Carney has arrived in Beijing, initiating the first Canadian prime minister’s visit to China in eight years. Carney is scheduled to engage with senior communist officials on Thursday, followed by a meeting with President Xi Jinping and a business dinner on Friday.
This visit marks the first by a Canadian prime minister following China’s detainment of two Canadians for nearly three years in 2019 in response to the arrest of a Chinese technology executive in Vancouver based on a U.S. extradition request.
Carney aims to enhance trade and environmental collaboration with China, emphasizing the importance of keeping Beijing at arm’s length from sectors related to national security or the Arctic.
A key focus during this visit will be China’s substantial tariffs on pork, canola, and seafood, which were implemented after Ottawa imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum. Western and Atlantic provincial leaders are hopeful for a removal of these tariffs, with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe also present in China during Carney’s visit. Conversely, Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed concerns about potential policy changes that could impact the Canadian auto industry.
This visit is perceived as brief yet significant, as both China and Canada seek to move past years of diplomatic strain while Canada aims to double its non-U.S. trade by 2035. The trip follows previous concerns regarding Chinese interference in Canadian elections, human rights issues involving the Uyghur minority, freedom of speech in Hong Kong, and Chinese military activities expanding beyond the UN-designated nautical zone.
In 2022, the Liberals categorized China as a “disruptive global power” misaligned with Canadian values, although Carney’s government has since portrayed Beijing as a strategic ally. Recently, two Liberal MPs were advised to cut short a visit to Taiwan to avoid conflicting with Ottawa’s stance of not recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation.