Prime Minister Carney heads to Asia to boost trade after Trump ends talks with Canada

Prime Minister Mark Carney has embarked on a nine-day trip to Asia aimed at strengthening Canada’s economic and diplomatic ties across the region, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to end trade negotiations with Canada.
Just hours before Carney’s departure, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that “ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” accusing Ottawa of “egregious behavior” linked to an Ontario government ad that used the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s voice to criticize tariffs.
The Ronald Reagan Foundation condemned the ad, saying it distorted Reagan’s message and was used without permission. The Ontario government defended it, stating that the clip was sourced from the public domain.
Carney’s itinerary includes stops in Malaysia , Singapore , and South Korea . He will attend the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur , meet Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in Singapore, and participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Gyeongju.
Government officials said Canada is seeking a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of APEC to reset diplomatic ties strained under previous administrations.
“This prime minister wishes to pursue a pragmatic, strategic relationship with China,” said a senior official. “We will ensure investment protections are in place while opening new trade opportunities.”