BEIJING (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit China this week, marking the first such trip in nearly a decade. The visit aims to improve strained diplomatic ties and broaden Canada’s trade partnerships beyond the United States.
Carney, who took office less than a year ago, arrives in China on Wednesday and will stay through Saturday. He will then travel to Qatar before attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland next week.
In a statement, Carney said Canada is adapting to a disrupted global trade environment by developing a more competitive and independent economy. He aims to double non-U.S. exports over the next decade.
“Canada is focused on building a more competitive, sustainable, and independent economy,” Carney said. “We’re forging new partnerships around the world to transform our economy from one that has been reliant on a single trade partner.”
Canada’s shift comes as its longstanding alliance with the United States faces new challenges, including import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump and his repeated suggestions that Canada could become the “51st state.”
Zhu Feng, dean of international studies at Nanjing University, said Trump’s tariffs have encouraged both Canada and China to deepen ties. He noted, however, that Canada remains a close U.S. ally with shared geography and cultural ties.
Other Western leaders have also sought to rebuild relations with China. Australian Premier Anthony Albanese restored ties after taking office in 2022, resolving a trade dispute inherited from the previous government. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, elected in 2024, has indicated similar intentions and raised human rights issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Brazil.
Carney previously met Xi in October in South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Canada’s relationship with China began deteriorating in 2018 after Ottawa detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. authorities. China responded by detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. All three were released in 2021 under a negotiated arrangement.
More recently, Canada imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum, mirroring U.S. trade actions. China, Canada’s second-largest trading partner after the U.S., responded with tariffs on Canadian pork, seafood, and canola.
China’s state-run Global Times welcomed Carney’s visit and urged the removal of “unreasonable tariff restrictions.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that China welcomed the visit as a chance to build on recent signs of improvement in diplomatic relations.
Carney has also taken steps to repair ties with India after diplomatic strains in 2024. The rift followed Canadian allegations of Indian involvement in the 2023 killing of a Sikh activist in Canada. The dispute led to diplomatic expulsions and suspended trade talks. Since June 2024, both countries have begun restoring consular services and reinitiating negotiations. Carney is expected to visit India later this year.
Associated Press journalists Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi and Jill Lawless in London, and researcher Shihuan Chen in Beijing contributed.
