Upon the arrival of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in China, his hosts perceive a chance to potentially sway the longstanding ally of the US towards their side, even if only partially. China's state-owned media is urging the Canadian government to establish a foreign policy course that is separate from the influence of the US, referring to it as ‘strategic autonomy’.
Historically, Canada has had a strong and significant relationship with the US, both in terms of proximity and in other facets. Beijing is anticipating that the enduring relationship will weaken due to President Donald Trump's economic and military actions against other nations.
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The government expressed displeasure at the previous actions taken by the former US President Joe Biden in enhancing relationships with Europe, Australia, India, Canada, and other countries to address the challenge posed by China.
Presently, there is a new opportunity for the government to potentially weaken these alliances, although there is a sense of caution regarding the extent to which this will be pursued. Carney has emphasized the importance of trade and views the recent visit to China as a strategic effort to establish new international partnerships to reduce Canada's economic dependence on the American market.
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Trump's imposition of tariffs on Canadian exports and his suggestion of potentially incorporating Canada as the 51st state have further highlighted the need for Canada to diversify its economic relationships.The recently inaugurated Canadian leader is endeavoring to reinvigorate diplomatic ties with China, which were strained for over six years during the tenure of the previous leader, Justin Trudeau.
The deterioration in diplomatic ties commenced with the apprehension of a Chinese technology executive in late 2018 at the behest of the US. More recently, it was exacerbated by the decision of the Trudeau administration in 2024 to emulate President Biden's initiative in implementing a 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles manufactured in China.
In response to the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum as well as other actions taken by Canada, China has implemented retaliatory measures by imposing tariffs on a variety of Canadian exports such as canola, seafood, and pork.
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“If the Canadian side reflects on the root causes of the setbacks in bilateral relations over the past few years — the previous Justin Trudeau government's policies to contain China in lockstep with the US — it will realize that it can avoid the same outcome by upholding its strategic autonomy in handling China-related issues”, according to reports.