Carney Accepts Xi's Invitation to Visit China

On the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea, Prime Minister Mark Carney held the first formal Canada–China leaders’ meeting since 2017; President Xi Jinping invited Carney to visit China and Carney accepted. The roughly 30-minute encounter marked a visible thaw in bilateral relations and was framed as part of Ottawa’s broader effort to repair ties after the 2018 freeze over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive and Beijing’s retaliatory detention of two Canadians. Both sides signalled a willingness to resume “constructive and pragmatic dialogue,” even as outstanding trade disputes persist. Ottawa has imposed tariffs — including a 25% steel-related levy and 100% duties on some Chinese electric vehicles — while Beijing has levied steep temporary duties on Canadian canola and other farm products. The meeting reflects a policy shift toward more engagement with China, but analysts and provincial leaders urged caution as Ottawa negotiates tariff rollbacks and market access.