Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in person next week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China. The meeting would be the latest step in efforts by Ottawa to stabilize a relationship that has been strained for several years, and Carney has said he intends to use the encounter to press Beijing on a number of contentious issues.
Among the most pressing items on the agenda is foreign interference in Canada. Carney plans to raise Ottawa's concerns directly with the Chinese leader, making clear that allegations of interference in Canadian affairs remain a serious matter for the federal government. The talks are also expected to cover the broader global security climate and the bilateral economic partnership between the two countries.
On economic relations, Carney has argued that ties with China are deepening and that this trend can continue, but only within clear guardrails. His position reflects a balancing act that Ottawa has tried to maintain: keeping trade and investment channels open while insisting on safeguards in areas that touch on national security. The APEC meeting gives both leaders an opportunity to address those questions face to face, rather than through intermediaries.
The summit will also bring together other major leaders. United States President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the APEC gathering as well. Carney has said he expects a possible conversation with Trump at either the APEC summit or the ASEAN summit, which is being held next week in the Philippines. It remains unclear whether that conversation will take place, and no firm arrangement has been confirmed.
On the diplomatic front, Canada has selected a new ambassador to China. The government has not yet disclosed the identity of the appointee, but an announcement is expected soon. The post is central to the day-to-day management of the relationship, and the appointment comes as Ottawa seeks to maintain working channels with Beijing while pursuing its priorities on security and trade.
For Canadians, the outcome of the meeting could shape how the federal government handles investment, trade and security questions involving China in the months ahead. Whether the talks produce concrete commitments, or simply keep open lines of communication, will become clearer once the two leaders have met in Shenzhen.
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