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Carney's Beijing trip marks first Canadian PM visit in nearly a decade
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Beijing next week, the first such visit by a Canadian leader to China in nearly ten years, as Ottawa seeks to ease trade tensions and diversify export markets away from the United States.
Agenda focuses on trade, energy, and security
Carney's four-day visit, scheduled from 13 to 17 January, will include discussions with Chinese officials on trade, energy, agriculture, and international security, according to a statement from his office.
The trip follows an invitation extended by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting with Carney on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea last October. At the time, Carney described the Canada-China relationship as being at a "turning point" with potential economic benefits for Canada.
"Distance is not the way to solve problems, nor is it the way to serve our people," Carney said after the October meeting.
Trade disputes cast shadow over relations
Relations between Canada and China have been strained since 2024, when Ottawa imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in October of that year, mirroring similar measures by the United States. Later that month, Canada added a 25% tariff on Chinese steel and aluminium.
China retaliated in March 2025, slapping tariffs on several Canadian agricultural products. Among the measures was a 76% levy on canola seed imports and a 100% duty on canola oil, meal, and peas. These actions have particularly affected farmers in western Canada, where China is the largest importer of Canadian canola seeds.
Diversification drive amid US trade uncertainty
Carney's visit comes as Canada seeks to reduce its reliance on the US, its primary export market, amid ongoing trade uncertainties under US President Donald Trump. Canadian industries, including steel, aluminium, and automotive sectors, have been hit hard by US tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
While trade talks between Canada and the US remain stalled, a formal review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is underway and expected to conclude later this year. In response, Carney has set a goal to double Canada's non-US exports over the next decade.
China signals willingness to stabilize ties
Following the October meeting with Xi, Carney noted that China had expressed a "willingness to work with Canada to push China-Canada relations back onto a healthy, stable, and sustainable track."
The upcoming visit is seen as a critical step in resetting bilateral relations, though analysts caution that deep-seated trade disputes may require prolonged negotiations to resolve.
