Carney Begins Asian Tour Amid US Trade Tensions

Prime Minister Mark Carney is on his first trip to Asia as premier, attending the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur and undertaking a nine-day tour that also includes stops in Singapore and the APEC summit in South Korea. The trip is aimed at expanding and diversifying Canada’s trade ties in the region away from heavy U.S. reliance. It comes amid heightened tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was terminating trade negotiations with Canada, citing an Ontario government ad controversy. Carney is pursuing bilateral meetings on the sidelines of summits, including efforts to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping and potentially President Trump, to forge new economic partnerships. Analysts say Southeast Asia offers growth opportunities for Canada but warn U.S.–China rivalry and domestic wariness of closer ties with China will limit how far Ottawa can pivot east, and Carney’s background as a former central banker is seen as an asset in reassuring partners and promoting rules‑based trade.