Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has arrived in China for a visit that comes at a pivotal moment in relations between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Carney, the first Canadian leader to visit China since 2017, is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.<\/p>\n
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Relations between Canada and China plunged into a deep freeze after Canadian authorities\u00a0arrested a key official of Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei<\/a> as she was transitioning through the Vancouver international airport in December 2018.<\/p>\n China retaliated against the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, which was carried out at the request of authorities in the United States, by detaining two Canadians.<\/p>\n Relations have continued to face challenges.<\/p>\n In 2024, Ottawa, following a line set by Washington, slapped Chinese electric vehicles with 100 percent tariffs,<\/a> prompting Beijing to impose tariffs on certain Canadian agricultural goods, including canola<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ottawa has also accused China of political interference.<\/p>\n Against that backdrop, Carney\u2019s visit \u201cmarks a recalibration and change in tone and signals Canada\u2019s desire to improve relations\u201d, said Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is probably Prime Minister Carney\u2019s second-most challenging trip after his first visit to the White House,\u201d Nadjibulla told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n Carney is keen to diversify the Canadian economy and reduce its dependence on the US, the destination for nearly 80 percent of Canadian exports.<\/p>\n While Canada has historically been among the US\u2019s closest allies, the relationship has gone south since Donald Trump\u2019s return to the White House.<\/p>\n Trump has slapped Canada with a 35 percent across-the-board tariff<\/a> and separate duties on steel, aluminium and lumber, while repeatedly threatening to make the country the 51st US state.<\/p>\n Carney has travelled extensively, including to the European Union and the Gulf \u2013 he heads to Qatar after Beijing \u2013 to find new markets and investors for the economy. The Canadian leader has said he wants to double Canada\u2019s non-US trade in the next decade.<\/p>\n