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…
Despite mounting tensions with the United States, China and Canada's armed forces held their inaugural round of discussions in eight years on Friday. The Chinese defence ministry reported a frank and thorough exchange of perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual interest, stressing a willingness to bolster military exchanges and cooperation. This marked the inaugural session of the Defence Coordination Dialogue since April 2018 and the fifth since its inception in 2013.
However, a 2024 encounter between Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair and his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore hints at previous efforts to mend relations. Canada and China have been striving to re-establish ties by re-establishing high-level dialogues, enhancing direct flights, and mitigating trade disputes, particularly in sectors like agriculture and electric vehicles.
Li Yao, the defence attache at the Chinese embassy in Canada, noted in July that "the ongoing enhancement" of their relations had "set the stage for deeper communication and exchanges between the two militaries."
The positive outlook was further supported by the presence of General Yang Zhibin, head of the PLA's Eastern Theatre Command, at the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference in Victoria, British Columbia. He met with Samuel Paparo, head of US Pacific Command, on Monday, ending a two-year hiatus in command-level dialogue between the two nations.
US President Donald Trump has previously floated the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state and signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America." These moves came after trade talks between the two nations collapsed in late September, prompting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to reject the talks due to "unreasonable demands" from the US and announce retaliatory tariffs.
Carney has also advocated for Canada and other "middle powers" to assume a more active role in international affairs. Canada has bolstered its military presence on the opposite side of the Pacific by participating in the annual US-Philippine Balikatan exercises for the first time this year, alongside troops from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and France.
Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed that Canada's navy would take part in additional exercises in the Indo-Pacific region this year, including port visits in Japan. He emphasized that deeper defense ties with allies do not contradict closer trade relations with Beijing.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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