Wang Yi is set to visit Canada this week in the first official visit by a Chinese foreign minister to the country in 10 years, signaling a possible improvement in relations between Ottawa and Beijing.
The three-day visit, beginning Thursday, will include meetings with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Prime Minister Mark Carney. Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu described the visit as a “positive sign” that relations between the two countries are moving in the right direction.
Wang and Anand are expected to discuss trade, investment, global security, and the recently updated Canada-China Strategic Partnership during the diplomatic meetings.
Prime Minister Carney, who travelled to Beijing earlier this year, said he looks forward to what he described as a “valuable exchange of views” during Wang’s visit.
Relations between Canada and China have remained strained since the 2018 arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, in Canada at the request of U.S. authorities. The arrest led to the detention of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in China, escalating tensions between the two nations.
However, recent negotiations appear to have reopened diplomatic and economic dialogue. During Carney’s January meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canada reportedly secured tariff relief for sectors including canola and seafood exports.
In return, Canada agreed to remove its 100 percent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs into the country under a reduced tariff structure.
Trade Minister Sidhu revealed he recently met with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers and encouraged them to invest directly in Canadian production facilities and supply chains.
“We welcome Chinese EVs to Canada, but we want those vehicles built in Canada using Canadian workers and supply chains,” Sidhu said, noting that China has already established similar partnerships in countries such as Spain, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.
Analysts say the visit is highly significant for the future of Canada-China relations, particularly regarding investment in sensitive industries like electric vehicles, batteries, and clean technology.
The issue of Taiwan is also expected to surface during discussions. China recently warned that official visits by Canadian lawmakers to Taiwan could undermine efforts to improve bilateral relations.
Conservative MP Michael Chong recently met with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, describing the move as an assertion of Canadian sovereignty despite Beijing’s objections.
The Canadian government has increasingly focused on diversifying trade relationships beyond the United States. Officials say Canada aims to double non-U.S. exports over the next decade while strengthening ties with Indo-Pacific partners.
As part of that strategy, Sidhu is expected to lead Canada’s largest-ever trade delegation to Japan next month, focusing on sectors such as clean technology, defence, and agriculture.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers continue to pressure the Liberal government to release details of a memorandum of understanding signed between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and China’s Ministry of Public Security.
Critics, including NDP public safety critic Jenny Kwan, have raised concerns about whether information-sharing agreements could affect dissidents, journalists, or diaspora communities in Canada.
Despite ongoing concerns, Global Affairs Canada says China remains one of Canada’s most important trading partners, with merchandise exports to China reaching $34.4 billion in 2025 and total bilateral trade surpassing $125 billion.