BEIJING — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened talks in Beijing, marking the first meeting between the countries’ leaders in China’s capital in eight years and signaling a potential reset in China-Canada relations amid ongoing trade tensions.
Arriving at the Great Hall of the People, Mr. Carney lauded what he called a “new strategic partnership” between the two countries and framed the high-level engagement as a chance to redefine the relationship. “Together, we can build the best of what this relationship has been in the past to create a new one,” he told Mr. Xi at the outset of the talks.
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The face-to-face talks come as Mr. Carney seeks to lessen Canada’s reliance on its main market, the United States, following tariffs on Canadian products imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Mr. Carney has said diversification is key to safeguarding Canadian exporters and stabilizing growth in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
Mr. Xi welcomed Mr. Carney and his delegation and said ties were at a turning point after their last encounter at an APAC summit in October. “It can be said that our meeting last year opened a new chapter in turning China-Canada relations toward improvement,” Mr. Xi said. “The healthy and stable development of China-Canada relations serves the common interests of our two countries,” he added, saying he was “glad” to see discussions in recent months aimed at restoring cooperation.
Officials from both sides have been working to lower tariffs, though no agreement has been finalized. The two leaders did not announce immediate breakthroughs, but the tone on both sides suggested a shared interest in stabilizing trade and finding practical pathways to revive stalled cooperation.
Mr. Carney met with Premier Li Qiang yesterday and is scheduled to speak with business leaders to discuss trade and investment, underscoring the economic focus of the trip. Canadian officials say broader market access, clearer rules for exporters and more predictable conditions for investment are priorities as Ottawa explores opportunities beyond the U.S. market.
For Beijing, the outreach offers a chance to ease friction with a G7 economy and to re-anchor relations on a commercial footing after years of strain. For Ottawa, it presents an opportunity to broaden export destinations and reduce tariff pressure while attempting to re-establish high-level channels that can handle disputes before they disrupt trade.
The meeting’s setting at the Great Hall of the People underscores the effort to lend momentum to the talks. While a comprehensive tariff package remains elusive, both sides emphasized continuity in recent working-level discussions and signaled that further negotiations will follow.
The Beijing talks, the first in the capital in nearly a decade, set a more constructive tone even as the most difficult issues remain on the table. The test now lies in turning warm words into concrete steps that lower trade barriers and deliver the stability both economies say they need.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
