Prime Minister Mark Carney used a four-day visit to China to signal a renewed bilateral relationship after years of strained ties.
The trip, the first by a Canadian prime minister since 2017, builds on months of intensified diplomatic engagement.
Carney framed the discussions as part of a broader effort to recalibrate cooperation amid global division and economic uncertainty.
While multiple agreements were signed, the visit stopped short of delivering a breakthrough on retaliatory trade tariffs.
Carney praised China’s leadership and the pace of renewed dialogue during meetings in Beijing.
“We’re heartened by the leadership of President Xi Jinping and the speed with which our relationship has progressed,” Carney said.
He told Chinese officials that recent efforts had laid the groundwork for strategic cooperation across energy, agriculture, and security.
The visit followed an October meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea and continued talks between senior officials.
Canada and China signed a trade and economic roadmap committing both sides to maintain open communication channels.
Ottawa welcomed Chinese investment in sectors including energy and agriculture, while Beijing signaled interest in Canadian services and aerospace.
An energy memorandum of understanding expanded cooperation on oil, gas, liquefied natural gas, and emission reductions.
The agreement did not include commitments by China to increase purchases of Canadian petroleum or liquefied natural gas.
Additional accords sought to boost Canadian pet food exports, tourism, and cooperation against transnational crime.
Despite warmer rhetoric, longstanding trade disputes remained unresolved during the initial phase of talks.
China’s tariffs on Canadian agricultural products were imposed in retaliation for Canadian duties on Chinese electric vehicles.
Those measures followed similar actions by the United States and were justified by Canada as protecting its auto industry.
Chinese customs data showed a significant decline in imports of Canadian goods following the retaliatory tariffs.
Canadian ministers said negotiations on auto and agricultural tariffs were continuing alongside broader diplomatic talks.
“The negotiations are still continuing,” Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said of efforts to ease trade restrictions.
Carney faces domestic pressure to resolve the dispute as Canada seeks to diversify exports beyond the United States.
Chinese officials described the visit as a turning point and expressed willingness to remove obstacles to smoother relations.
Further discussions are expected when Carney meets Xi before concluding the visit.