Chinese President Xi Jinping met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Beijing on January 17, agreeing to advance a new strategic partnership and announcing tariff reductions to reset bilateral trade. Carney's visit marks the first by a Canadian prime minister in eight years, signaling a thaw in relations.
On January 17, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Beijing, their second encounter in under three months. Their previous meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, in October 2025 marked a turnaround in bilateral relations, setting a positive trajectory.
Xi stressed that healthy and stable China-Canada relations serve the common interests of both nations and contribute to world peace, stability, development, and prosperity. He called for advancing a new strategic partnership with a sense of responsibility to history, people, and the world, steering ties toward sound, steady, and sustainable development. Despite differing national conditions, Xi said both should respect each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity, political systems, and development paths, adhering to the right way of interaction.
On economic and trade ties, Xi noted their mutual benefit and win-win nature, with China's high-quality development and high-level opening-up providing new opportunities. He urged expanding cooperation, shortening the negative list, and strengthening shared interests through deeper engagement. Xi also encouraged exchanges in education, culture, tourism, sports, and sub-national areas to bolster public support, and expressed willingness to enhance coordination in UN, G20, and APEC frameworks to address global challenges.
Carney highlighted the long history of friendly engagement and strong economic complementarity between Canada and China, with extensive common interests. Canada seeks a strong, enduring new strategic partnership to benefit both peoples, he said, reaffirming the one-China policy and commitment to mutual respect in expanding cooperation on economy, trade, energy, agriculture, finance, education, and climate change. Carney emphasized multilateralism's role in global security and praised Xi's Global Governance Initiative.
During the visit, a joint statement was issued, and multiple cooperation documents were signed covering trade, customs, energy, construction, culture, and public security. On Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with Carney, welcoming more Canadian investment and hoping for a fair environment for Chinese firms in Canada.
Relations strained since 2017 under Justin Trudeau, with setbacks from Ottawa's stance, including 2024 tariffs on Chinese EVs and metals, prompting Chinese countermeasures. Bilateral goods trade exceeded C$117 billion ($84.2 billion) in 2024. The October meeting initiated recovery, and this visit reflects Ottawa's policy recalibration amid U.S. tariff uncertainties under Trump.
Key outcomes include tariff relief: China will reduce levies on Canadian canola oil from 85% to 15% by March 1, while Canada applies a 6.1% most-favoured-nation rate to Chinese EVs, capped at 49,000 units to protect domestic automakers. Reductions also apply to Canadian lobsters, crabs, and peas, aiding producers after a 10% drop in Chinese imports of Canadian goods in 2025.
Before the meeting, Carney met executives from Chinese EV battery makers and energy firms. Upon arriving Wednesday, he stressed diversifying trade from the U.S. Carney told reporters talks were 'realistic and respectful,' but outlined Canada's red lines on human rights, election interference, Taiwan, and Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai. Detained Canadian Michael Kovrig advised disciplined engagement to manage leverage, noting about 100 Canadians imprisoned in China.
Analyst Wang Wen said the new Canadian government's efforts reflect pragmatic leadership, enhancing trust and resuming exchanges. U.S. professor Anthony Moretti noted the visit's timing amid Washington pressures, urging Canada to embrace a multipolar world beyond Cold War mentalities. Former diplomat Colin Robertson called it a modest but realistic reset.
