China, Canada Seek Deeper Dialogue and Cooperation Amid Global Trade Uncertainty
China and Canada are signaling renewed commitment to dialogue and cooperation as global trade faces mounting uncertainty, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney set to pay an official visit to China from January 14 to 17 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
The visit marks a significant diplomatic milestone, being the first official trip to China by a Canadian prime minister in eight years, and underscores the gradual warming of bilateral relations between the two countries after a prolonged period of strain.
Speaking at a regular press briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China attaches great importance to Prime Minister Carney’s visit, emphasizing that the sound and steady development of China–Canada relations serves the shared interests of both nations and their peoples.
She noted that, through joint efforts, bilateral relations have shown clear momentum toward recovery and improvement since last year.
That progress was evident in October 2025, when the leaders of China and Canada met on the sidelines of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in South Korea. During the meeting, both sides agreed to resume exchanges and cooperation across multiple sectors, work toward resolving outstanding economic and trade issues, and jointly advance the development of the China–Canada strategic partnership.
The renewed engagement followed an earlier meeting between Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Carney on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as subsequent visits to China by senior Canadian officials, including the foreign minister. Premier Li has expressed China’s readiness to work closely with Canada to sustain the positive momentum in relations, address economic and trade concerns through dialogue and consultation, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as energy, green development, tourism, and other strategic sectors, with the aim of delivering tangible benefits to both peoples.
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As a goodwill gesture, China resumed group tour services to Canada in November, allowing Chinese citizens to travel through authorized agencies. The move is expected to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, deepen mutual understanding, and foster long-term friendship between the two countries.
Mao said China hopes Prime Minister Carney’s visit will further enhance dialogue and communication, strengthen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, properly manage differences, and consolidate the positive turnaround in bilateral relations.
China has long been Canada’s second-largest trading partner. According to data from China’s General Administration of Customs, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $61.74 billion from January to August 2025, representing a 7.1 percent year-on-year increase.
Beyond high-level talks with Chinese leaders, Prime Minister Carney’s visit will include engagements with business leaders, aimed at elevating cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, and international security to new heights.
The Canadian delegation includes several key cabinet members, among them Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Industry Minister Melanie Joly, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald, highlighting the breadth of issues on the agenda.
The visit comes at a time of rising unilateralism and trade fragmentation globally. Observers say the renewed high-level engagement between China and Canada sends a strong signal about the importance of dialogue, multilateralism, and cooperation, not only for bilateral relations but also for global economic stability. Minister MacDonald, who visited China last November, said the engagement helped revive agricultural cooperation talks and renewed hope among
Canadian farmers and canola exporters for market recovery. He described Canada’s relationship with China as “long-standing,” stressing that China remains a vital commercial market for Canadian businesses. Canada, he added, remains committed to maintaining constructive dialogue with China on bilateral trade matters and ensuring continued engagement.
Public sentiment in Canada appears to be shifting in the same direction. A recent Ipsos poll shows that more than half of Canadians support closer trade ties and economic agreements with China, reflecting growing recognition of the need for Canada to diversify its trade relationships amid uncertainty in its economic ties with the United States.
