Agreed, Canada sends delegation to China
From April 1 to April 4, the Canadian Minister of Finance visited China.
He had previously made it clear that the purpose of this trip is to re-engage with China, strengthen economic relations, and promote trade and investment cooperation.
In short, this visit is not a ceremonial one—it comes with concrete tasks.
There are two points worth noting:
First, on March 26, Canadian Foreign Minister Anand proactively called Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to express interest in strengthening bilateral ties between China and Canada, as well as exchanging views on international and regional issues—laying the groundwork for the upcoming visit by the Minister of Finance.
Second, upon arriving in China, the Canadian Finance Minister emphasized that cooperation between China and Canada should be enhanced in macroeconomic policy coordination and financial linkages.
He also stressed that Canada has strong economic power and resilience, backed by world-class industries, enabling sustained investment and collaboration between the two countries.
Why is Canada coming to China?
First, there is real economic pressure.
China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner. The main challenge Canada faces today is its over-reliance on the U.S. market. Although efforts have been made to reduce dependence, exports to the United States still account for around 60% of total exports.
Second, Prime Minister Carney visited China in January 2026 and proposed establishing a new strategic partnership, indicating that Canada is attempting to hedge against U.S. influence and move closer to China.
Third, in recent years, Sino-Canadian relations have experienced rifts, but high-level visits have now resumed. With the foreign minister’s phone call and the finance minister’s visit to China, this marks a systematic process of repairing bilateral ties.
Moreover, Canada is actively seeking cooperation with Chinese auto manufacturers and is expected to announce this collaboration soon—fulfilling important consensus previously reached by leaders of both nations and advancing more practical cooperation.
What is the significance and impact?
First, undoubtedly, it will further promote the development of Sino-Canadian relations and lay the foundation for future collaboration.
Second, it serves as a leading example, encouraging more countries to accelerate their outreach toward China—particularly Brazil and other European nations.
Third, it puts additional pressure on the United States, significantly challenging Trump’s leverage for his potential May visit to China.
Fourth, it helps Chinese enterprises use the Canadian market as a gateway to expand across North America.
Fifth, it further extends China’s global influence, rapidly enhancing China’s voice in international affairs in the short term—better enabling China to handle complex international issues, especially the currently pressing Middle East situation.
In summary: The Carney government has chosen pragmatism. After a series of gestures showing goodwill toward China, it swiftly dispatched the Minister of Finance to China to negotiate cooperation.
The objectives are clear: on one hand, to show goodwill to China and quickly implement important consensuses previously reached by top leaders, accelerating cooperation; on the other hand, to exert pressure on the United States, thereby gaining a stronger position in negotiations with Washington.
After all, the USMCA agreement has already shown signs of change, and Canada can no longer tolerate American unpredictability.
This move not only reflects China’s growing influence and continuously strengthening comprehensive strength, but also helps China expand its network of partners.
Because China’s policies are stable and predictable, cooperating with China offers reliable expectations and guarantees.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861433878338572/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.