Canada’s PM Carney Seeks China Reset, Echoing Failed 2017 Trudeau Effort
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent China visit aims to reset a relationship that has been frozen since the 2018 arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, an incident that derailed a similar diplomatic push by his predecessor Justin Trudeau.
The 2018 Crisis That Derailed Relations
In December 2018, Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Chinese tech giant Huawei, at the request of the United States. This move triggered a major diplomatic crisis.
China responded by detaining two Canadians on espionage charges, an act widely viewed as retaliation. Relations between Ottawa and Beijing have remained deeply strained ever since, scuttling the earlier reset effort launched by Trudeau in 2017.
Carney’s New Focus: Trade and Climate
Prime Minister Carney’s current trip is focused on trade and climate cooperation. Observers are watching closely to see if this new engagement can overcome the legacy of the 2018-2021 diplomatic feud and pave the way for a more stable and productive bilateral relationship.
