Hopeful gave their hopeful views recently, including the idiosyncratic Canadian diplomat and former Bank of England governor Mark Carney. He thinks that Canada-China relations are making a positive turn. Following a major diplomatic meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Carney emphasized almighty diplomacy, as she should have. He highlighted how critical it is to furthering Canadian interests and values. His announcements are an important, though still long overdue, shift in tone from the Trudeau government. In contrast, under the previous administration, we heard Beijing defined as a “disruptive global power.”
The stage for this new debate is set against a dramatic backdrop of conflicts that have soured Canada-China relations in recent years. Relations soured dramatically in 2018 after Canada arrested Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou. In response, China arrested two Canadian nationals, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, moves that Canada has declared arbitrary. By early 2025, the situation was at a breaking point. China recently executed four of its own Canadian citizens, arguing that they were dual Canadian nationals involved in drug trafficking.
Carney’s remarks come at a critical time. It would be anachronistic given the state of affairs that a Canadian prime minister last visited China in 2017. Relations have been rocky ever since. The diplomatic landscape shifted dramatically when Xi confronted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G20 summit in 2022, an encounter that underscored the growing tensions between the two nations.
In his recent comments, Carney recognized that even though there are many challenges ahead, there is significant opportunity to move forward together. He stated, “We now have a turning point in the relationship, a turning point that creates opportunities for Canadian families, for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers, and creates a path to address current issues.” Canada offers an alternative approach to diplomacy. While details remain scarce, this point of strategy signals that the country intends to engage more deeply with China on energy and critical basic manufacturing concerns.
China’s foreign ministry has recently signaled an openness to repair relations with Canada on the basis of mutual respect. This would allow their potential to address decades-in-the-making economic challenges. Canadian producers suffering from extreme tariffs on canola, seafood and pork exports to China will especially benefit from it.
Carney’s perspective aligns with remarks made by other Canadian officials, including Anita Anand, who stated, “Diplomacy is not walking away from tough issues. Diplomacy is being able to have the conversation about Canadian interests and Canadian values.” This sentiment carries a larger truth about the Canadian government while valuing good dialogue—especially in times of escalated geopolitical tensions.
For all of this sunny news, there remains a dark cloud on the horizon of our national security. In the past, Carney has called China “the largest continental security threat” that Canada is facing. He pointed to sensitive projects tied directly to our national security should be kept out of Chinese hands. An inquiry report highlighted that Beijing poses “the most sophisticated and active cyber threat to Canada,” further complicating the potential for deepened engagement.
Canada is currently involved in naval exercises in the Taiwan Strait. This presence has been a clear testament to its determination to protect international territorial integrity as the Caucasus region becomes increasingly unstable. Robert Schellenberg has been on death row in China since 2019, making this a particularly fraught case. This continuing humanitarian crisis should be front and center in any future discussions.
Carney’s comments are a welcome sign that Canada may be reaching a turning point on how to approach its relationship with China. He stated that “distance is not the way to solve problems,” emphasizing the need for continued engagement. Canada finds itself in a difficult diplomatic position. It needs to weigh up national security and supply chain resilience interests with the economic benefits that a revitalised relationship with China would deliver.
