Canada seeks Détente with china as U.S. Trade Tensions Rise
GYEONGJU, SOUTH KOREA – A recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Gyeongju, marked by a public display of cordiality, signals a notable shift in Canada’s foreign policy as it navigates escalating economic tensions with the United States. The encounter, highlighted by a handshake and smiles, comes after years of strained relations stemming from the 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and subsequent detention of two Canadians in China.
The warming of ties between Ottawa and Beijing is largely attributed to a growing perception within Canada that the U.S.now poses a greater economic threat than China.This sentiment, fueled by recent U.S. trade actions – including the suspension of tariff negotiations following an anti-Trump advertisement in Ontario – has prompted Canada to actively pursue reconciliation with China, a nation with which it previously held a fractured relationship.According to a recent public opinion poll, 46% of Canadians now view the United States as a “threatening country,” surpassing China at 34%.
The roots of the Canada-China dispute lie in the U.S.-China trade war of 2018.Following a U.S. request, Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou, then Vice Chairman of huawei, on fraud charges while she was in transit through Vancouver. china responded by detaining two Canadian citizens on espionage charges, plunging relations between Canada and China into a deep freeze.
The situation began to thaw with the release of Meng Wanzhou in 2021, and the subsequent release of the two detained Canadians. Though, the recent summit between Xi and Carney underscores a more deliberate effort by Canada to diversify its economic partnerships. CNN reported that Canada “can no longer afford to engage in a trade war with the two largest economies,” and highlighted the U.S. as “rapidly emerging as Canada’s biggest economic threat.”
During the Korea-China State Banquet in Gyeongju on November 1st, President Lee Jae-myung and President Xi jinping exchanged gifts, including a box of Xiaomi phones presented by the chinese leader. The exchange, provided by the President’s Office, symbolically represents the renewed diplomatic engagement. The White House has yet to comment on the evolving Canada-China relationship, but CNN suggests a need for a more careful approach to relationships with allies.
