Prime Minister Mark Carney has arrived in Beijing, marking the first Canadian prime ministerial visit to China in eight years. Carney is scheduled to hold discussions with senior communist leaders on Thursday, followed by a meeting with President Xi Jinping and a business banquet on Friday.
This visit is significant as it is the first by a Canadian prime minister since China detained two Canadians for almost three years in 2019 in response to the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Vancouver on a U.S. extradition warrant.
Carney aims to enhance trade and environmental collaboration with China while ensuring that Beijing steers clear of industries related to national security or the Arctic. Key topics of discussion during the visit include China’s substantial tariffs on pork, canola, and seafood, which were imposed following Ottawa’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum.
Western and Atlantic provincial leaders are hopeful that China will lift these tariffs, with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe making a visit to China during Carney’s trip. However, Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed concerns about potential policy changes that could impact the Canadian auto sector.
The visit is seen as pivotal in improving relations between China and Canada, amidst past diplomatic strains and Ottawa’s ambition to double non-U.S. trade by 2035. This visit follows years of concerns over Chinese interference in Canadian elections, human rights violations concerning the Uyghur minority, freedom of speech in Hong Kong, and military activities aimed at expanding China’s territorial boundaries beyond international regulations.
In 2022, the Liberals labeled China as a “disruptive global power” that diverges from Canada’s principles. Despite this, Carney’s administration views Beijing as a strategic ally and recently advised two Liberal MPs to cut short a visit to Taiwan to prevent confusion over Canada’s stance of not recognizing the island as an independent nation.