China–Canada Relations Enter a New Phase: Xi–Carney Meeting Injects Momentum into Strategic Partnership

Beijing — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met in Beijing on Friday. This was their second meeting in less than three months and is seen as an effort to steer China–Canada bilateral relations onto a new path. The two leaders held extensive discussions on further strengthening ties between the two countries, which have shown signs of gradual improvement since last year.

The Xi–Carney meeting held in October last year in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, marked a significant turning point in China–Canada relations. According to the Chinese side, that meeting placed bilateral ties on a positive trajectory and led to concrete consensus on resuming and expanding cooperation across various fields.

Prime Minister Carney’s current visit is the first by a Canadian prime minister to China in eight years. During the meeting, President Xi said that the healthy and stable development of China–Canada relations not only serves the common interests of the two countries, but is also conducive to global peace, stability, development, and prosperity.

President Xi stressed that, with a sense of responsibility to history, the people, and the world, both sides should advance a new China–Canada strategic partnership. He noted that steering bilateral relations toward long-term, balanced, and sustainable development would bring tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.

According to Xi, China and Canada should be partners based on mutual respect, shared development, mutual trust, and cooperation. Despite differences in national conditions, he said, the two countries should respect each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, political systems, and chosen development paths, which form the proper foundation for coexistence.

Speaking on economic and trade relations, President Xi said that the essence of China–Canada cooperation lies in mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. He added that China’s high-quality development and high-level opening-up would continue to create new opportunities and expand new space for bilateral cooperation. Xi also called on both sides to deepen and broaden cooperation while reducing negative lists.

Xi further urged the two countries to enhance exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, tourism, sports, and at the sub-national level, and to facilitate two-way travel, which he said would help further consolidate public support for stronger bilateral ties.

On multilateral affairs, President Xi said China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Canada within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the G20, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Prime Minister Carney noted that China and Canada have enjoyed long-standing friendly relations and possess complementary economic structures. He said the two countries share extensive common interests and broad opportunities for cooperation.

Stating that Canada seeks to build a strong, enduring, and long-term new strategic partnership with China, Carney expressed confidence that such cooperation would deliver greater benefits to the peoples of both countries. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to the one-China policy and said Canada is willing to expand cooperation with China in the spirit of mutual respect and partnership.

Carney said Canada is keen to strengthen cooperation with China in areas including the economy and trade, energy, agriculture, finance, education, and climate change. He also emphasized that multilateralism underpins global peace and stability, noting that President Xi’s Global Governance Initiative is of great importance.

In a rapidly changing and turbulent global environment, Carney said Canada hopes to intensify multilateral coordination with China to uphold multilateralism, strengthen the role of the United Nations, and promote international peace and stability.

During Prime Minister Carney’s visit, the two sides issued a joint statement of the China–Canada leaders’ meeting and signed multiple cooperation documents covering trade, customs, energy, construction, culture, and public security.

Earlier on Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang also held talks with Carney. On that occasion, Li said China welcomes more Canadian companies to invest in China and expressed hope that Canada would provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises investing in Canada.

According to Wang Wen, Dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, the new Canadian government’s efforts to mend ties with China reflect a pragmatic and rational approach by its leadership. He noted that restoring stable bilateral relations would enhance political mutual trust and bring cooperation in areas such as the economy, trade, and culture back on track, delivering direct benefits to the people of both countries.