Canada and China thaw continues as militaries hold first talks in 8 years amid US pressure
China and Canada’s armed forces held their first round of talks in eight years on Friday in the face of growing tensions with the United States. The Chinese defence ministry said there had been a candid and in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern. “[Both sides] expressed willingness to strengthen practical exchanges and cooperation between the two…
Canada and China's militaries engaged in their first round of talks in eight years on Friday, amid rising tensions with the United States. The Chinese defense ministry reported a candid and thorough exchange of views on shared international and regional issues, expressing a desire to enhance practical exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries. This marks the first meeting of the Defence Coordination Dialogue since April 2018 and the fifth since its inception in 2013.
Both nations have been striving to mend their strained relations by resuming high-level exchanges, expanding direct flights, and addressing trade tensions in sectors like agriculture and electric vehicles. In July, Li Yao, the Chinese defence attache in Canada, noted that the "continued improvement" of relations had created favorable conditions for closer communication and exchanges between the militaries.
While the Chinese statement did not disclose the identities of the leaders who participated in the talks, General Yang Zhibin, head of the PLA's Eastern Theatre Command, was in Canada this week for the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference in Victoria, British Columbia. He met with the head of the US Pacific Command, Samuel Paparo, on Monday, ending a two-year hiatus in command-level contact between the two nations.
During the talks, US Pacific Command head Samuel Paparo described Canada as a "close ally" and dismissed questions about a potential US military attack on Canada as "absolutely and utterly preposterous." In a recent move, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected US demands to become the 51st state and imposed retaliatory tariffs on US goods, citing unreasonable demands.
He has also advocated for Canada and other "middle powers" to assume a more active international role. Canada has bolstered its military presence in the Pacific, participating in the US-Philippine Balikatan exercises for the first time this year, with troops from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and France also joining.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
