China and Canada are preparing to bolster diplomatic and economic engagement as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to make an official visit to China from January 14 to 17 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
The visit will mark the first trip to China by a Canadian prime minister in eight years, signalling a gradual warming of bilateral relations after a prolonged period of limited engagement. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that China attaches high importance to the visit and views the steady development of China–Canada relations as serving the shared interests of both countries and their peoples.
Mao noted that ties between the two nations have shown positive momentum toward recovery and improvement since last year, driven by renewed high-level contacts. In October 2025, the leaders of China and Canada met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in South Korea, agreeing to resume exchanges across multiple sectors, address specific economic and trade issues, and advance the development of the China–Canada strategic partnership.
That engagement followed a meeting between Premier Li and Carney at the United Nations General Assembly a month earlier, and subsequent visits to China by senior Canadian officials, including the foreign minister. Li has expressed readiness to work with Canada to sustain the positive momentum, resolve economic and trade concerns through dialogue and consultation, and expand cooperation in areas such as energy, green development, tourism, and other mutually beneficial sectors.
As part of confidence-building measures, China resumed group tour services for Chinese travellers to Canada through travel agencies in November, aimed at strengthening people-to-people exchanges and fostering mutual understanding.
Mao said China hopes the upcoming visit will further enhance dialogue and communication, strengthen political trust, expand practical cooperation, properly manage differences, and consolidate the improving trajectory of bilateral relations, delivering tangible benefits to both populations.
China has long been Canada’s second-largest trading partner. Data from China’s General Administration of Customs show that bilateral trade reached $61.74 billion between January and August 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.1%.
Beyond meetings with Chinese leaders, Carney is scheduled to engage with business representatives to promote cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, and international security. Several senior cabinet members are accompanying him, including Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Minister of Industry Melanie Joly, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu, and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald.
The renewed engagement comes amid rising global trade uncertainty and growing unilateralism, underscoring the importance of sustained dialogue and cooperation between major economies. Observers expect the visit to send a positive signal to international markets and contribute to broader economic stability.
MacDonald, who visited China last November, said the trip helped restart agricultural cooperation talks and offered renewed optimism to Canadian farmers and canola exporters seeking market recovery. He described Canada’s relationship with China as long-standing and emphasized that China remains a key commercial market for Canadian businesses. He added that Canada is committed to maintaining constructive dialogue on bilateral trade issues.
Public sentiment in Canada also appears to be shifting. A recent Ipsos poll shows that more than half of Canadians support closer trade ties and economic agreements with China, reflecting a growing recognition of the need to diversify trade relationships amid uncertainty in Canada’s economic ties with the United States.
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