Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's four-day visit to China ended on the 17th, marking the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to China in eight years.

The head of the Department of America and Asia at the Ministry of Commerce stated on the 16th while interpreting the results of Sino-Canadian economic and trade negotiations that both sides conducted multiple rounds of consultations with a spirit of cooperation, striving to reduce the list of issues. Canada will make positive adjustments regarding unilateral measures taken against Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum products, as well as individual cases of Chinese enterprises' investment and operations in Canada. In response, China will adjust its anti-dumping measures on canola and anti-discrimination measures on certain agricultural and water products from Canada according to relevant laws and regulations. These arrangements are expected to play an active role in deepening cooperation in relevant industries between China and Canada and enhancing the well-being of the two peoples.

Liu Jiangyun, a part-time researcher at the Canada Research Center of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, told the First Financial Daily: "The outcomes of this visit by Trudeau generally exceeded expectations across Canadian society, laying a solid foundation for the implementation of various cooperative projects based on the 'Sino-Canadian Economic and Trade Cooperation Roadmap'."

"Electric Vehicles Replace Canola"

Regarding the highly anticipated issue of Chinese-made electric vehicles, Trudeau announced at a press conference on the afternoon of the 16th that Canada would grant an annual quota of 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles, which would enjoy a Most-Favored-Nation tariff rate of 6.1%, with the quota increasing by a certain proportion each year.

The head of the Department of America and Asia at the Ministry of Commerce stated that China believes this is a positive step taken by Canada in the right direction, and it is also good news for Chinese electric vehicles to expand the Canadian market. China hopes that Canada will actively fulfill its commitments and continue to move forward together with China through friendly consultations, creating a more fair, stable, and non-discriminatory environment for further expansion of bilateral electric vehicle trade and investment cooperation.

The previous Canadian government had announced that starting from October 1, 2024, a 100% surcharge would be imposed on Chinese electric vehicles, causing the comprehensive tax rate on Chinese electric vehicle exports to Canada to rise to 106.1%. Trudeau stated that the latest arrangement "has brought the import volume back to the level before the trade friction between the two countries."

Currently, the growth of the Canadian electric vehicle market has slowed down due to factors such as the cancellation or reduction of federal and provincial subsidies for electric vehicle purchases, limited choices of electric vehicles, and the slow construction of charging stations. According to data from Statistics Canada, 45,000 new zero-emission vehicles (pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles) were registered in Canada in the third quarter of 2025, a 40% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Trudeau said that in the field of electric vehicles, China's strength is world-renowned and unquestionable. Chinese electric vehicles have advantages in cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency, and innovation, which are unparalleled globally. To build a competitive local electric vehicle industry, Canada needs to learn from China and cooperate with it to jointly build a supply chain. This will fully tap into the potential of bilateral cooperation and reduce the consumption costs for Canadians.

Releasing restrictions on canola was one of the key objectives of Trudeau's visit to China. The head of the Department of America and Asia at the Ministry of Commerce stated that China will adjust the anti-dumping measures on canola and the anti-discrimination measures on certain agricultural and water products from Canada according to relevant laws and regulations.

Scott Moe, the premier of Saskatchewan, the largest canola-producing province in Canada, who accompanied Trudeau on the visit, said that the above results were "very good news" for his province, adding, "This will restore trade volumes and bring more opportunities for Canadians." Andre Harpe, chairman of the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA), was also closely monitoring this visit. Due to the time difference, he woke up at 3 a.m. and, upon seeing the news, said, "It's a brand-new day."

"A Turning Point in Sino-Canadian Relations"

During the visit, both sides reached broad consensus on deepening economic and trade cooperation, signed the "Sino-Canadian Economic and Trade Cooperation Roadmap," issued the "Joint Statement of the Leaders' Meeting between China and Canada" (hereinafter referred to as the "Joint Statement"), and formed initial joint arrangements for handling bilateral economic and trade issues.

The Canadian Prime Minister's Office stated that this visit marks a turning point in Sino-Canadian relations. Trudeau said, "We are building a new type of strategic partnership. This relationship inherits our historical traditions and reflects the realities of today's world, and it will benefit the people of both countries."

Taking energy, a major product exported by Canada to China, as an example, the Joint Statement shows that both sides agreed to support exchanges and cooperation in the field of clean energy, and strengthen cooperation in the development of traditional energy resources such as oil and natural gas. Both sides decided to launch a ministerial-level energy dialogue, identify key areas, and provide support for two-way investment and trade in clean and traditional energy.

Professor Wang Nengquan, a member of the Expert Advisory Committee of the National Energy Commission, told the First Financial Daily that strengthening cooperation between China and Canada in the energy sector holds significant strategic importance for both countries at present. He analyzed that currently, Venezuela's oil exports face many uncertainties, while Canada mainly produces heavy crude oil, which has some substitutability for Venezuela's oil. On the other hand, Canada's export of energy heavily relies on the U.S. market, but bilateral trade faces the threat of tariffs under the Trump administration. Therefore, for both sides, strengthening cooperation in the development of traditional energy resources such as oil and natural gas is "another choice."

Liu Jiangyun noted that the content in the Joint Statement about restarting high-level Sino-Canadian economic and financial strategic dialogue and enhancing exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two sides particularly impressed him. He explained that as a former governor of the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, Trudeau has international prestige in the financial field. The resumption of the Sino-Canadian financial and economic strategic dialogue means that bilateral interactions will go beyond the growth of trade relations and may involve communication and coordination on specific international financial issues. Enhancing exchanges between legislative bodies indicates that both sides hope to deepen mutual understanding in the political field, which is of positive significance for easing differences on sensitive issues.

"The future development of Sino-Canadian economic and trade relations has broad potential," Liu Jiangyun said. He believes that China can play a more important role in Canada's trade diversification strategy, especially in fields such as clean energy and civilian nuclear energy. If Canada can maintain strategic autonomy, a win-win situation can be achieved between the two sides.

(This article is from the First Financial Daily)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7596350134590489088/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.