China Urges Canada to Expedite Implementation of Recent Trade Agreements

Ambassador Calls for Swift Action

China's Ambassador to Canada, Wang Di, has urged the Canadian government to accelerate the implementation of agreements forged during Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent visit to Beijing. Ambassador Wang emphasized the importance of translating the outcomes of the high-level discussions into tangible progress, particularly concerning ongoing tariff disputes.

Speaking in the wake of Prime Minister Carney's trip, which occurred in mid-January 2026, Ambassador Wang stated that both nations must 'lose no time and work faster to achieve more outcomes.' He highlighted that Carney is scheduled to return to China in November for the APEC summit in Shenzhen, providing a 10-month window for significant advancements in bilateral collaboration.

Key Agreements from Beijing Visit

During his visit, Prime Minister Carney, who assumed office in March 2025, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The leaders reached a preliminary agreement to address a tariff dispute that saw Beijing impose levies on Canadian agricultural products in response to Ottawa's tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Specific outcomes of the visit include:

• China is expected to reduce tariffs on canola products to approximately 15 percent from the previous 84 percent by March 1.
• Canada will import 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) under new, preferential tariffs set at 6.1 percent.
• Memorandums were signed to reactivate working groups and institutional mechanisms across sectors such as finance, lumber, oil, green technology, and tourism.
• China is 'actively considering' offering unilateral visa-free treatment to Canadian citizens, though an official announcement is pending.

Addressing Persistent Tariff Disputes

The recent agreements aim to de-escalate a period of trade friction. Canada had imposed a 100 percent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles in 2024. In retaliation, China introduced tariffs on Canadian agricultural products in March 2025, including a 75.8 percent preliminary tariff on Canadian canola seed in August 2025.

While progress has been made on canola and EV tariffs, negotiations are ongoing regarding Chinese steel and aluminum. Canada currently applies tariffs on these products, citing concerns over alleged unfair trading practices and pervasive government subsidies in China's metal industries. Ottawa has extended remissions on tariffs for certain Chinese steel and aluminum products until the end of 2026, indicating continued efforts to resolve these complex trade issues.