Canada’s tough response to Trump’s trade war is winning fans in China

Open this photo in gallery:A reader thumbs through the pages of the China Daily newspaper in Beijing, in January.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian PressIn the wake of Ottawa’s forceful response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war, the White House on Wednesday said Canada “is joined only by the People’s Republic of China in choosing retaliation over negotiation.”It’s a strange parallel for Mr. Trump’s team to draw – given Beijing fought the United States to a draw last year, winning concessions and breathing room to further shore up its economy against future U.S. pressure – but one that has also been made in China itself. In an editorial this week, the state-run Global Times said Canada and China “are the only countries daring to respond to U.S. pressure with reciprocal measures.” “In the face of Washington’s tariff stick, Canada has launched a ‘Chinese-styled counterattack’: responding firmly and proportionally; defending sovereignty without compromise; and resorting to rules and legitimate countermeasures.” Andrew Coyne: The whole world is watching as Canada stands up to TrumpOnly a year ago, relations between Canada and China were in the deep freeze, and the two nations were engaged in their own trade war, but since Mark Carney became prime minister, Ottawa and Beijing have reset ties, with China providing an important counterweight as Canada seeks to reduce reliance on its increasingly mercurial southern neighbour. One of the many sticking points in the negotiations which broke down with the U.S. was reportedly a desire by Washington to dictate Canada’s economic arrangements with other countries, which could have drastically curtailed any attempts to increase trade with China. This was an escalation of language around “economic security” inserted in other deals struck by Mr. Trump’s team after his “Liberation Day” tariffs last year, the effects of which have been limited, with few countries ready to truly sacrifice ties with Beijing. “Advancing economic and trade ties with China constitutes a key instrument within Canada’s policy toolkit,” said Zhuang Tianyu, a North America trade analyst at data platform Sinoimex. “Beyond Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, South Korea and multiple central‑and‑eastern‑European nations have moved to improve practical ties with China and expand bilateral trade.” Four takeaways from Canada’s tariff counterpunchMr. Trump’s tough trade policies, along with the hugely disruptive and unpopular war in Iran, have seen sentiment toward the U.S. plunge globally and reinforced China’s growing popularity, as Beijing has taken advantage of the chaos to present itself as the mature superpower and protector of the global free trade order. According to a recent Pew survey, 44 per cent of Canadians now view China favourably, compared to 14 per cent in 2023. Just 33 per cent said the same thing about the U.S., down from 57 per cent in 2023. Open this photo in gallery:Prime Minister Mark Carney makes his way to hold a press conference in Ritan Park in Beijing, in January.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian PressFar from isolating China, as Mr. Trump had said he wished to do, the U.S. President has effectively undone all the work of his predecessor Joe Biden in building an alliance of democracies that were committed to limiting China’s economic and political influence. Since May, Beijing has eliminated tariffs on goods from almost all countries in Africa (the exception being tiny Eswatini, which has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, much to China’s ire). Last week, China struck a new free trade deal with Switzerland, and negotiators have even made progress on a long-stalled arrangement with the European Union. Carney to address EU Parliament in push to grow non-U.S. tiesWhile Mr. Carney emphasizes increasing trade with fellow democracies when he discusses reducing reliance on the U.S., Canadian agricultural and other businesses would welcome further access to the Chinese market, and the removal of remaining tariffs and other measures imposed during the period of poor relations. In the first six months of 2026, bilateral trade between Canada and China grew 18.7 per cent, with Canadian exports to China up by more than 29 per cent, according to Chinese customs data.Speaking to his Canadian counterpart in Manila last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, “The improvement and growth of China-Canada relations serve the common interests of both countries.” Noting Beijing was ready to “for high-level exchanges in the next stage,” Mr. Wang’s comments also fuelled rumours, originally reported in the Hong Kong press, that Chinese President Xi Jinping could visit Canada when he travels to the U.S. next month. Carney looks to influential outsiders to head Canada’s embassy in Beijing, sources sayEven if Mr. Xi does not make it to Ottawa – a detour that would now be politically sensitive given the U.S.-Canada trade war – Mr. Carney will have an opportunity to meet with the Chinese leader later this year at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen. “Carney’s Canada, as a medium‑sized developed country, harbours aspirations for strategic autonomy,” said Yu Tiejun, director of the Institute of Global Strategy at Peking University. In the short term, this could see Ottawa push for greater engagement with China as ties with the U.S. enter a period of turmoil, he said. But this does not mean the two relationships are comparable, particularly given Washington and Canada’s close relations on security and joint membership of NATO. “Of course, Carney and Canada are furious now, and to a certain degree, there exist new opportunities for China-Canada relations,” Prof. Yu said. But this does not mean there will be a long-term break in U.S.-Canada relations or a rebalancing by Ottawa toward China, he added. “The latest row will undoubtedly push bilateral ties into considerable tension in the short term. In the long term, however, I do not believe the two sides will drift too far apart.” With reports from Alexandra Li in Beijing