Anand calls China relationship ‘important,’ says Canada must protect ‘values’ – National
Foreign Minister Anita Anand said the economic relationship between Canada and China is “vital” as Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi begins a three-day visit that will include meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Canadian reporters were not allowed to ask questions about his remarks with Wang. The last time Wang was in Ottawa 10 years ago, he lashed out at a Canadian journalist who asked about human rights in China at a joint press conference with then-foreign minister Stephane Dion.
Anand did not specifically mention human rights in his comments on Friday, which came after confirming that a Canadian warship was passing through the Taiwan Strait last week.
“On May 22, 2026, HMCS Charlottetown conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait, which was completed on May 23, 2026,” a Department of National Defense spokesperson told Global News.
China claims sovereignty over democratic Taiwan and has stepped up military operations around the island in recent months.
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Canada’s former ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, said that “the passage of Canadian ships in the Taiwan Strait would have been viewed negatively” by Beijing.
“I think we should step back from this and avoid self-restraint,” he said. “We have to stand our ground.”
Anand said in his remarks “we are committed to expanding this relationship with a commitment to increase exports to China by 50 percent by 2030, while protecting Canada’s interests and national security.”
Wang will meet with Carney on Friday afternoon in Ottawa, and reporters are not allowed to ask questions.
“He [Carney] it will do nothing to make Beijing unhappy,” Poilievre told reporters on Parliament Hill.
“That’s how things are done in Beijing, and now Mark Carney is bringing those methods here.”
Carney visited China in January, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Carney’s office said his visit focused on “trade, energy, agriculture and international security cooperation.”
As a result, Canada and China reached an initial trade agreement in which Beijing agreed to reduce or eliminate certain tariffs on Canadian agricultural products and Canada agreed to reduce tariffs on some Chinese electric vehicles.
Cheuk Kwan, co-chairman of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China, said there is still “a lot of unfinished business” since Carney’s trip to China.
“Over the past year, China has become more aggressive in dealing with Canada,” he said.
“Especially, we are not in a very good situation compared to the team [U.S. President Donald] Trump’s threat. So, we always try to seek good relations, and of course, trade opportunities with China, and China knows that. “
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
