In a landmark diplomatic move, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Beijing for talks with President Xi Jinping, ending an eight-year hiatus in top-level engagements. The Friday meeting signals both nations’ intent to bury past hatchets and explore fresh synergies.
Carney lauded the budding strategic partnership, urging a forward-looking relationship attuned to evolving world dynamics. This outreach arrives as Canada grapples with US-imposed tariffs intensified during Trump’s second term, prompting a strategic pivot eastward.
Relations hit rock bottom post-2018, when Ottawa’s arrest of Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou on behalf of Washington led to Beijing’s reprisal detentions of two Canadians. Escalating trade duties and interference allegations deepened the rift.
Xi, greeting Carney warmly, pointed to their APEC summit as a relational inflection point. ‘Last year’s encounter launched a new chapter for our improvement efforts,’ he remarked, applauding recent negotiation revivals that align with shared interests.
Prior to the Xi parley, Carney conferred with Premier Li Qiang, with business dialogues on deck. China’s affirmative stance on mending fences bodes well. For Canada, this could mitigate US-centric risks; for China, it reinforces global outreach amid trade wars. Analysts watch closely if rhetoric translates to robust deals.