Canada and China Reopen High-Level Contacts as Tariff Dispute Shapes Reset

Overview

• Foreign ministers met in Beijing on October 16–17 and agreed to restore regular communication and revive mechanisms such as consular consultations and law‑enforcement dialogue.
• The talks addressed sensitive files including canola and other agri‑food exports, seafood, meat and electric vehicles, and identified cooperation in environment, energy and health.
• China urged adherence to the one‑China principle and signaled expectations that Canada echo Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative.
• Beijing has linked lifting heavy duties on Canadian farm and seafood products to relief from Ottawa’s 100% tariff on Chinese EVs, a stance that has hit roughly 40,000 Western Canadian canola farmers and may face U.S. scrutiny.
• A face‑to‑face meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Xi Jinping is reported as possible before the end of October, with Beijing hoping EV tariffs are on the agenda.