China's 'new three' and new 'new three' expand in Canada, deepening local operations and bilateral cooperation

Editor's note: Zhang Jing is the Editor-in-Chief at the Macmlbr Studio. This article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN. It has been translated from Chinese and edited for brevity and clarity.

From electric vehicles to artificial intelligence, Chinese companies representing the country's "new three" and emerging new "new three" industries are accelerating their expansion into the Canadian market. As China and Canada deepen their new strategic partnership, a growing number of Chinese technology firms are launching local operations, unveiling new products, and strengthening brand promotion across Canada, creating fresh momentum for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

From the "old three" to the new "new three": China's three stages of industrial upgrading

China's export sector is undergoing a profound structural transformation, reflecting three distinct phases of industrial upgrading. During the era of the "old three"—clothing, furniture and home appliances—Chinese manufacturers leveraged cost advantages and economies of scale to establish "Made in China" as a global brand. While this phase laid the foundation for China's manufacturing strength, exports were largely concentrated in products with relatively lower value-added and technological content.

The emergence of the "new three"—electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products—marked the next stage of China's export transformation. Driven by green manufacturing and clean energy innovation, China has built integrated industrial supply chains and gained a strong competitive edge in the global new energy sector.

Today, China is entering the era of the new "new three"—robotics, artificial intelligence and innovative pharmaceuticals. This new phase represents a deeper transition from "Made in China" to "Created in China," with research and development, technological innovation and advanced solutions becoming the primary engines of growth.

The latest data underscore this shift. Chinese large language models have ranked first globally in weekly usage for several consecutive weeks. China's industrial robots are now exported to more than 100 countries and regions worldwide, while exports of surgical robots have recorded explosive growth. In the pharmaceutical sector, the value of overseas licensing deals for China's innovative drugs exceeded $100 billion in the first half of 2026. 

Skylar Han, regional director of SpeedyDrone Canada for the Greater Toronto Area, said the company is not simply bringing drones, robots and AI systems to Canada as products, but integrating them into real-world applications.

"AI processes data, drones collect information, and robots carry out actions. When these technologies work together in areas such as agriculture, inspection, education, emergency response and industrial services, they create a completely new way of working," Han said.

He added that the future is not just about exporting products, but about combining the strengths of both countries to create greater value for communities and society.

China's "new three" in Canada: Chinese EV brands step up market expansion

Among China's "new three" industries, electric vehicles have become the most active sector for Chinese companies expanding into Canada. Following the implementation of the China-Canada economic and trade cooperation roadmap and the establishment of Canada's import quota mechanism for Chinese electric vehicles, a number of Chinese automakers have accelerated their market entry plans.

Lotus has taken the lead. On July 8, the Geely-owned automaker delivered its first shipment of electric vehicles to Canada, becoming the first Chinese-controlled EV brand to officially enter the Canadian market. Lotus is selling the vehicles through its existing network of authorized Canadian dealerships, making it the first Chinese EV brand to establish commercial operations in the country.

BYD is following closely behind. In June, Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD and president of BYD Americas, announced on social media that the company plans to officially move into Canada by the end of 2026. According to the plan, BYD will initially establish more than 20 dealerships across major cities including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, while simultaneously building a comprehensive sales, after-sales service and maintenance network.

Other Chinese brands are also preparing their entry. Chery has already held its first meeting with Canadian dealership partners and plans to launch dealer networks for its Omoda and Jaecoo brands in early 2027. Meanwhile, Zeekr is expected to leverage Volvo's existing dealership network for distribution and is targeting a Canadian market debut by mid-2027.

The growing presence of Chinese EV manufacturers in Canada reflects both the country's expanding demand for new energy vehicles and its strategic importance as a gateway to the broader North American market.

China's new "new three" gain traction in Canada: AI hardware leads the way

Among China's emerging new “new three" industries, artificial intelligence-related products are among the first to gain a foothold in the Canadian market.

Rokid launches in Toronto, pioneering a new "AI + Optics" model

On July 29, Rokid, a global pioneer in augmented reality (AR) and AI-powered smart glasses, officially announced its entry into the Canadian market at a product launch event in Toronto. The company unveiled two flagship products and announced a strategic partnership with local optical retailer Ming's Optical to explore an innovative "AI + traditional optics" business model.

Earlier, Aiplora Inc. secured the exclusive distribution rights for Rokid's smart glasses in Canada. The partnership is widely seen as an example of technology collaboration between China and Canada. Rokid brings advanced expertise and technological leadership in the smart glasses sector, while Aiplora contributes an extensive local business network and strong market development capabilities. Together, the two companies aim to accelerate the adoption of AI-powered wearable devices in the Canadian market.

Chinese AI computing companies expanding North American footprint

Chinese AI computing and chip companies, including Turing Evolution, have identified Canada as a key hub in their global expansion strategies. As artificial intelligence moves from cloud-based applications to edge devices and from research laboratories to real-world industrial deployment, these companies are building end-to-end AI chip capabilities and edge computing infrastructure to support growing demand for AI computing power in Canada.

Canada is home to some of the world's leading AI research institutions, including the Vector Institute in Toronto and Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute in Montreal, which provide a rich pool of AI talent and make the country an attractive destination for technology collaboration and talent exchange with Chinese AI companies. In addition, generous research and development incentives offered by the Province of Quebec have encouraged a growing number of Chinese technology firms to establish local R&D centers.

Brandon Paul, senior corporate marketing manager at Bluewave AI, said Canada and China have opportunities to deepen cooperation in AI and other areas of shared interest, as both countries have been advancing innovation over the past decade.

"As AI has become not just a conversation, but the conversation, it's incredible to see our governments pursuing these very important trade deals that I think will position Canada and China to prosper together on the world stage," Paul said.

He added that the cooperation is a "win-win" for both countries.

As Chinese companies in the "new three" and new "new three" industries continue to deepen their presence in Canada, bilateral economic and trade cooperation is evolving beyond traditional commerce. The relationship is expanding from conventional commodity trade to exports of high-value technology products, with greater potential for future collaboration in innovation, research and industrial ecosystem development.

For Chinese companies, Canada is not only an important export market but also a strategic gateway to North America and a hub for accessing world-class research resources and innovation ecosystems. For Canada, the arrival of Chinese companies brings competitive products and advanced technologies while also creating employment opportunities and contributing to local industrial upgrading.

As China and Canada continue to strengthen their new strategic partnership and expand cooperation in science, technology and innovation, more Chinese companies from the "new three" and new "new three" sectors are expected to establish operations, build their brands and pursue mutually beneficial growth in the Canadian market.