Mark Carney Heads to Beijing to Discuss Canada-China Relations as U.S. Outlook Darkens

Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada will arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for a critical three-day state visit during which he will meet with President Xi Jinping and seek to repair an important relationship that may be more vital now that the United States is no longer a reliable Canadian ally.

Mr. Carney, under pressure by a recalcitrant President Trump who has all but nixed trade talks and has threatened Canada’s sovereignty, is spending a significant chunk of his time overseas seeking new customers for Canadian goods. China is at the top of his list.

Diplomatic relations between the two nations ruptured in 2018, when China arbitrarily detained two Canadian citizens after Canada arrested a Chinese business executive wanted in the United States. The Canadians were held under often harsh conditions, while the Chinese executive was allowed by a Canadian court to live in two large houses in Vancouver, sparking outrage in Canada.

The fallout has included high retaliatory tariffs on key exports: Chinese electric vehicles along with Canadian canola oil and other agricultural goods.

Officials from the two countries are negotiating lowering the tariffs, but an agreement had not been reached by the time Mr. Carney left Ottawa on Tuesday and may not be reached during the visit, two officials briefed on the talks said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the talks.

The broader relationship has been clouded by deep suspicion of China in Canada. Canadian security services say China routinely meddles in Canadian political affairs and surveils and represses Chinese Canadians on Canadian soil. Hong Kong exiles in Canada and others have been singled out, the security services have said, and China has sought to influence Canadian elections, including by targeting candidates.