China, Canada map out a new track: expanding cooperation, building stability

For years, China-Canada relations have seen both progress and setbacks. But Friday's meeting between the leaders of the two countries in Beijing signaled a clearer effort to place the relationship on a more stable, long-term track.

When meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed to the two leaders' encounter last October in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea. He said that meeting opened a new phase of positive development in China-Canada relations, and that both sides have since held discussions on restoring and advancing cooperation across multiple areas, delivering positive results.

This time, Xi framed that progress in broader terms. He called for building a "new type of strategic partnership," and putting bilateral ties on a "healthy, stable and sustainable" development track.

The meeting's focus was not only political. It also reflected economic realities. In a more uncertain global environment, both sides signaled an interest in keeping practical cooperation moving, particularly in areas where the two economies remain complementary and where results can be delivered.

Within that framework, the key message from Beijing was about direction and method: widening cooperation in areas of shared interest, strengthening the foundations of public support through exchanges, and expanding coordination in multilateral settings.

Xi stressed mutual respect as the foundation for stability – respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, for political systems and development paths, and for what he called the "correct way for states to get along." He also noted that the relationship has experienced ups and downs over the past 55 years, saying the history offers "valuable lessons and practical insights."

Read together, the message was straightforward: the goal is to keep cooperation moving while preventing disputes from spreading into the broader relationship.

If the meeting set the political baseline, it also set out a practical cooperation agenda, and trade sits at the center of it.

Carney described the two economies as highly complementary and said Canada is willing to build a "strong and sustainable" new type of strategic partnership that benefits both peoples. He reaffirmed Canada's commitment to the one-China policy and said Ottawa is ready to expand cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, finance, education and climate change.

That focus reflects economic realities as much as diplomatic intent. In Canada's agricultural regions, ties with China are felt not in speeches but in contracts, shipment schedules and farm income. For exporters, stable market access is not a slogan – it is the condition that keeps business running.

Trade data illustrates why it matters. According to UN Comtrade figures compiled by Trading Economics, Canada's exports to China reached about $21.1 billion in 2024. Much of that trade comes from commodity and farm-linked sectors. Energy-related exports reached roughly $3.8 billion, while oilseeds totaled around $3.4 billion.

This structure explains why trade is both a stabilizer and a pressure point. Commodity and agricultural exports can rise quickly when relations are stable, but they are also highly sensitive to policy signals. Shifts in inspection rules, licensing or regulatory scrutiny can disrupt shipments with little warning.

That is why both sides now stress keeping cooperation channels open: not only to expand trade, but to reduce the risk that political tensions translate into sudden disruptions in sectors tied to jobs, regional economies and long-term planning.

Beyond economics, both sides highlighted areas that can sustain continuity even when politics become complicated.

Xi described people-to-people connectivity as the "most basic, solid and enduring" form of linkage. He called for stronger exchanges in education, culture, tourism, sports and local-level cooperation, steps to facilitate travel, and efforts to strengthen the public foundation of bilateral ties.

Carney also listed education and climate cooperation among priority areas, reinforcing the idea that the relationship is not being anchored on trade alone, but also on lower-risk cooperation that can maintain momentum over time.

The meeting also framed China-Canada ties against a broader backdrop of international uncertainty.

Xi said a divided world cannot tackle shared challenges and called for "true multilateralism," saying China is willing to strengthen coordination with Canada within the United Nations, the G20 and APEC frameworks.

Carney echoed the theme, describing multilateralism as the cornerstone of global security and stability. He said Canada is willing to enhance multilateral coordination with China, uphold multilateralism and the authority of the UN, and jointly safeguard world peace and stability.

After the meeting, the two sides issued a joint statement on the leaders' talks.

What comes next will be reflected in concrete steps – whether dialogue mechanisms are fully restored, whether practical cooperation moves forward in priority sectors, and whether travel and people-to-people exchanges become easier in practice.

For Beijing and Ottawa, the next phase is less about messaging and more about continuity: keeping channels open, keeping cooperation moving and keeping disagreements from spilling into the broader relationship. That is the practical meaning of the "new type" partnership both sides described.