China says Canada trade ties not aimed at US amid tariff threat
China has rejected claims that its expanding economic relations with Canada are directed against any third country, responding to US threats of sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods. Beijing framed the partnership as cooperative and mutually beneficial, while Washington warned Ottawa against striking trade deals with China, escalating tensions that are being closely followed by global actors, including Türkiye.
China said its trade and economic cooperation with Canada is not designed to undermine any third party, after the United States threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Canadian exports if Ottawa deepens commercial ties with Beijing. The statement came amid rising uncertainty in global trade, where Türkiye and other countries are calling for predictability and respect for international economic norms.
Beijing rejects zero-sum pressure
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said relations between states should be guided by cooperation and shared gains rather than confrontation. He underlined that China supports partnerships built on mutual benefit and openness, arguing that attempts to politicize trade harm global stability rather than protect national interests.
US warning and Canada’s response
US President Donald Trump warned via social media that any trade agreement between Canada and China would trigger full-scale tariffs on Canadian products entering the US market. Despite this pressure, Beijing said Ottawa and Beijing have developed a strategic framework to manage economic issues, reflecting equality and peaceful cooperation.
Shifting dynamics in bilateral ties
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent visit to China was described by President Xi Jinping as a turning point in relations. Carney has also remarked that Canada’s engagement with China has become more predictable compared with its dealings with Washington. Canada and China, which established diplomatic ties in 1970, recorded bilateral trade of about $67 billion in 2024, underscoring the economic weight of the relationship.
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