Asia Watch Archive

Canadian international trade minister Maninder Sidhu is in China from Tuesday to Friday to meet with his Chinese counterpart and represent Canada at a massive import expo.

Canada's national security strategy (NSS), released October 29, puts a premium on safeguarding sovereignty and economic security, but may signal that Ottawa is transitioning away from a standalone Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS), with the government teasing the release of "a single, global, interest-based approach to foreign policy."

The end of 'spooky season' heralds the arrival of 'summit season,' a jam-packed November that'll see Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at regional summits in Cambodia, the Philippines, and China.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will host European Union leaders today and Friday in Montréal to form "a new, ambitious alliance," calling a potential partnership "a beacon for other democracies."

Randeep Sarai, Canada's Secretary of State for International Development, was in Bangladesh and Thailand last week, where he announced C$130 million for five projects to "advance long-term, inclusive growth opportunities across the Indo-Pacific region" focused on agriculture, entrepreneurship, and financial institutions.

Over the last 12 months, Japan's "Iron Lady," Takaichi Sanae, has navigated the twists and turns of U.S.

Late last week, Geely officially announced plans to launch commercial operations in Canada in 2027. It is no surprise that Geely is the first Chinese EV company to do so: Geely-owned Lotus EVs were the first Chinese-owned, Chinese-manufactured vehicles shipped to Canada under the quota deal Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney negotiated in Beijing in January.

A "historic" trade mission, a leader-level phone call, and the meetings of foreign and trade ministers comprised the remarkable range of Canada–India diplomacy this past week.

The expansion of an LNG facility and the designation of a proposed oil pipeline as a "project of national interest" are priming the pump for even deeper Canada–Asia energy ties, representing two landmark announcements in Ottawa's continuing quest to diversify beyond the U.S.

Sunday was Writ Day in New Zealand, the formal beginning of a campaign that'll likely end with a 'kingmaker' tipping the balance to one of the country's two major parties.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday in New York City, pledging to “lead other middle powers,” as the foundation of a “new international order” is laid.

Canada and Vietnam upgraded relations to a Strategic Partnership last week during a state visit by Tô Lâm, Vietnam’s president and general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, the first visit to Canada by a Vietnamese general secretary since diplomatic ties were established in 1973.

A crucial spell of Indo-Pacific diplomacy awaits Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney this fall as he prepares for expected trips to the Philippines, Cambodia, and China, and gets ready to host leaders from across Asia.

Canadian trade negotiators are racing to close deals with two Asian markets representing nearly 2.2 billion people, setting up a frenetic few months of talks and trips on both sides of the Pacific.

Ottawa is looking to conclude trade talks with India and ASEAN, a bloc of 11 Southeast Asian states, by the end of 2026. Canada’s ongoing trade dispute with the U.S. has made meeting that deadline all the more important.

Genta Koja won Okinawa’s gubernatorial election with 59 per cent of the vote on Sunday, benefiting Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, who backed Koja, and increasing the odds of more defence infrastructure in Okinawa.

Financiers responsible for C$100 trillion in assets gathered in Toronto this week for two days of dealmaking as Canada looks to supercharge investment over the next five years.

New Delhi finds itself in a tricky position this weekend, hosting leaders from China, Russia, and Iran while trying not to jeopardize ties with the U.S., its largest market for goods and services and a key security partner.

Canadian and Chinese officials met in Ottawa for a defence co-ordination dialogue on September 4, reviving a mechanism dormant for eight years.

The leaders of China, India, and Russia met in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday and Tuesday for the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a security-focused group of largely Central Asian states.

SCO members include Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. This week, leaders discussed the U.S.–Iran conflict, the Russia–Ukraine war, and other regional issues.

India’s real GDP grew 7.8 per cent in the April–June quarter this year, beating estimates and confirming India as the world’s fastest-growing large economy.