Recalibrate Canada‑China ties: Carney’s first PM visit since 2017

Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to depart for Beijing on Jan. 12, 2026, joining Liberal MP Kody Blois, to meet President Xi Jinping and signal a shift toward a partnership after a frosty four‑year hiatus. The trip—his first in‑person visit to China since 2017—runs through 16 Jan, after which Carney will advance to Qatar on Jan. 18 and then to Switzerland from Jan. 19‑21 for the World Economic Forum in Davos. Ottawa seeks to address lingering tariff disputes that were lodged in 2024, notably duties on Chinese‑made electric vehicles and retaliatory Chinese tariffs on Canada’s $40 billion canola sector. Saskatchewan farmers have reported losses of up to $450,000 each due to these tariffs, while the federal government cites economic opportunity for shared ag‑food trade.