Canadian PM says China is easy to deal with than other nations
Earlier, during his 2025 election campaign, Carney had described Beijing as Ottawa’s main security threat. However, he appears to have shifted his perspective following repeated remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting Canada could become the 51st state, along with the imposition of significant tariffs on Canadian goods last year.
On Friday, Carney met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader to China in eight years. The meeting came after a period of strained relations between the two countries.
When asked about Canada’s ties with both Washington and Beijing, Carney acknowledged that “with the US, our relationship, this is no insight, is much more multifaceted, much deeper, much broader, than it is with China.” However, he added, “But yes, in terms of the way that our relationship has progressed in recent months with China, it is more predictable and you see results coming from that.”
During the visit, Beijing and Ottawa signed an initial agreement reducing tariffs on electric vehicles and canola seeds. Carney expressed optimism about establishing “a new strategic partnership” with China, a sentiment echoed by Xi, who welcomed a “turnaround” in bilateral relations.
Trump later commented that he was unconcerned about Canada seeking closer ties with Beijing. “It’s OK. That’s what he [Carney] should be doing. I mean, it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that,” he said.
Tensions between Canada and China escalated in 2018 after Ottawa arrested the CFO of Chinese tech company Huawei on a US warrant. In response, Beijing detained two Canadian citizens on espionage allegations, followed by the reciprocal imposition of tariffs.
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