Chinese President Xi Jinping has hailed a “turnaround” in relations between China and Canada after meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Beijing, with both sides announcing a new strategic partnership.
The talks marked a major thaw after nearly a decade of strained diplomatic ties and were described by officials as consequential and historic.
During the meeting, Xi said relations between the two countries had improved significantly since he and Carney held discussions on the sidelines of an international summit in November last year.
As part of the new partnership, China agreed to lower tariffs on Canadian canola seed, a key export that has been at the centre of past trade disputes. In return, Canada will allow 49,000 Chinese made electric vehicles into its domestic market, a move seen as a significant concession by Ottawa.
Carney’s visit comes after years of tension between the two countries, which deteriorated sharply in 2018 following Canada’s arrest of a senior Huawei executive at the request of the US. The dispute triggered retaliatory measures from Beijing and ushered in a prolonged diplomatic freeze.
Officials from both sides said the agreements reached during the visit signal a clear shift towards rebuilding trust and restoring economic cooperation.
The new partnership is expected to pave the way for deeper engagement on trade, investment and technology, as both governments seek to move beyond one of the lowest points in their bilateral relationship.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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