Canada and China have agreed to “normalize” high-level consultations between the two countries following a June 5 call between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese Prime Minister Lee Qian, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
In the conversation, Carney and Lee also discussed trade between the two countries, saying, “We are working together to work together to deal with the fentanyl crisis,” according to a PMO statement.
Kearney also refers to the Beijing tariffs recently imposed on Canada, and says it has grown “trade stimulants” that affect agricultural products and food. The statement also said that Carney raised “other issues” without providing details.
The PMO confirmed with the media, and this was the first conversation that Carney met with Beijing since he became prime minister.
Speaking further about Cole, Carney said on June 6 that the debate was “the beginning of a process of reconciliating relations with China.”
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“They are our second largest trading partners and Canada’s second largest trading partners,” Carney said.
“We have a lot of trade disputes with China. The farmers of this country, the fishermen of this country are affected by Chinese tariffs. The people of this country are affected by fentanyl and its precursors. These are issues that I raised directly, and I began a process involving the Minister’s dialogue on trade.
Canada-China relations
Ottawa Bailing’s already tense relationship in recent years has worsened amid new trade tensions.
Beijing’s latest measures include a 100% tariff on Canadian canola oil, oil cakes and peas imports, and a 25% tax on Canadian seafood and pork.
US ambassador, Canada Pete Hextra, recently said the US hopes Canada will align with policies relating to China.
“The president made it very clear. China is the number one challenge to America’s security and prosperity,” he said in an interview with Glove and Mail. “We are looking for us for those who are facing the challenges with China.”
Tensions have risen even further after Canadian media reported by the Intelligence Reports Agency since late 2022 on Beijing’s widespread interference in Canadian democracy. This led to the issue’s final investigation into the issue as “the most active perpetrator of foreign interference targeting Canada’s democratic system,” according to a final report by the Foreign Intervention Commission, released earlier this year.
Omid Ghoreishi and Isaac Teo contributed to this report.
