Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said today (May 6): "I have arrived in Washington D.C. and am prepared to meet with President Trump tomorrow. Canada and the United States are strongest when we work together - and this work begins now."

Commentary: Earlier, Trump reiterated that Canada should become the "51st state" of the United States and mentioned that he would "always talk about it," but ruled out using force. Trump's claims that the U.S. annually subsidizes Canada by $200 billion and that the U.S. needs nothing from Canada are seriously inconsistent with the facts. According to data from the Office of the United States Trade Representative, in 2024, Canada was the largest export destination and third-largest source of imports for the U.S. Although there is a trade deficit in goods, both sides have close industrial cooperation in areas such as automobiles and energy, highly dependent on each other.

Previously, Carney clearly stated that "Canada will never join the United States." However, his active preparation for meeting with Trump reflects Canada's pragmatism and helplessness in handling relations with the U.S. The Canadian economy is highly dependent on the U.S., with over 75% of exports going to the U.S. The impact of U.S. tariff increases on the Canadian economy is evident. In this situation, Carney must uphold national sovereignty and firmly reject unreasonable U.S. sovereignty infringement statements while also having to communicate with Trump, attempting to alleviate trade pressure through dialogue and secure better economic and security development environments for Canada.

The two sides will comprehensively discuss issues related to tariffs and broader Canada-U.S. relations during this meeting. Carney also emphasized that Canada must reduce its dependence on the U.S. and has taken a series of measures such as energy independence and expanding trading partners. However, whether the U.S. is willing to make concessions on trade issues and improve relations with Canada remains uncertain.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1831325790526536/

Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's personal views.