A month after his May election win, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney phoned Chinese Premier Li Qiang, with both leaders agreeing to recalibrate the relationship.
Carney says his approach to China amounts to “variable geometry engagement,” or, put simply, engagement where interests align, but limited or no engagement where Canada’s national or economic security is at stake.
One side of that approach was on display last month, when Carney appeared to hint at a future avenue of Canada–China collaboration. At a think-tank event, he said China is “very sincere and engaged on climate,” and noted that Beijing extends “almost a standing offer” to Canada to co-operate on climate. A Chinese readout of Carney’s recent meeting with Li suggested Carney is willing to “make joint efforts to address global challenges such as climate change.”
While addressing the UN in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping committed to reducing countrywide greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10 per cent by 2035. (In 2023, coal and oil made up 79 per cent of China’s total energy supply.)
Carney’s comments and Xi’s pledges suggest an opening for lower-risk bilateral co-operation. The two countries have worked together on climate issues dating back to the 1980s, and as recently as 2022, 188 governments agreed to the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework at a UN forum chaired by China and hosted by Canada.
To stabilize ties with Beijing, Carney has to determine how best to balance climate policy objectives — including his campaign pledge to “deliver a bold plan to reduce emissions and drive investments in clean technologies” — and industrial needs and national security concerns (e.g. protecting Canada’s electric-vehicle ecosystem from a flood of inexpensive Chinese EVs).
