Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, beginning a four-day visit aimed at repairing relations between Canada and China.
It is the first visit of a Canadian leader to China in nearly a decade. Carney is scheduled to meet with Premier Li Qiang, China’s head of government, and President Xi Jinping.
China’s state media has urged Canada to chart a foreign policy independent of the United States, a concept Beijing calls “strategic autonomy.” Analysts say Beijing sees an opening to weaken longstanding U.S.-Canada ties amid former President Donald Trump’s trade disputes and aggressive posture toward other nations.
Carney has emphasized trade during the visit, framing it as part of a broader strategy to diversify Canada’s economic partnerships beyond the American market. The U.S. has previously imposed tariffs on Canadian exports, including steel, aluminum, and other goods, while Trump suggested that Canada could eventually become America’s 51st state.
Relations between Canada and China have been strained for years. The downturn began with the 2018 arrest of a Chinese tech executive at U.S. request and intensified after the Canadian government, under former Premier Justin Trudeau, followed the U.S. in imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles in 2024. China retaliated with tariffs on Canadian exports, including canola, seafood, and pork.
Carney has previously met Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in October in South Korea, signaling a desire to maintain dialogue even amid tensions. Observers say the current visit is a critical step in rebalancing Canada’s foreign relations and reducing reliance on the United States for trade and security partnerships.
