Carney calls meeting Xi Jinping a ‘Turning point’ in Canada-China relations after eight-year hiatus

Prime Minister Mark Carney described his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as marking a “turning point” in the relationship between Canada and China — the first official meeting between the two nations’ leaders in eight years. The 39-minute meeting took place on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. Speaking to reporters afterward, Carney called the discussion “long overdue,” saying it opened the door for “opportunities for Canadian families, businesses and workers” while setting the stage to address current tensions.

Carney confirmed that he had accepted Xi’s invitation for a future state visit, to be scheduled at a mutually convenient time. According to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office, both leaders instructed officials to swiftly address outstanding trade disputes, particularly concerning agriculture, seafood, and electric vehicles. They also discussed expanding cooperation in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, climate change, and international finance.

During the bilateral meeting, the two delegations sat across from each other at long tables adorned with pink flowers and national flags. Xi opened by congratulating Carney on his election and noting that 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations. Xi emphasized that China-Canada relations were showing “positive development momentum” and expressed optimism about further “pragmatic and constructive” cooperation.

Carney echoed those sentiments, stressing that “distance is not the way to solve problems” and advocating for engagement to achieve “people-centric growth.” He stated that the two countries would build “a road to seize opportunities” and create “a platform for dialogue to help build a more sustainable, inclusive international system.” This was Carney’s second meeting with Xi — the first occurred in 2016 when Carney was governor of the Bank of England. However, the new meeting notably omitted discussion of China’s human rights record and concerns over foreign interference, focusing instead on trade and cooperation.

Relations between the two countries have been strained since 2018, when Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States. China subsequently detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor on espionage charges — widely seen as retaliatory. Both men were released after more than 1,000 days in custody, shortly after Meng’s release. Since taking office, Carney has signaled a pragmatic approach to rebuilding ties with Beijing. He met Chinese Premier Li Qiang during the UN General Assembly last month, while Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand also held talks in China earlier this month.

The last formal meeting between Canadian and Chinese leaders occurred in December 2017, when then–Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Beijing. Informal exchanges followed, including a tense encounter in 2022 when Xi Jinping reprimanded Trudeau for leaking details of a private conversation.