The Canadian government under the Carney administration is working to strengthen ties with Beijing, as confirmed by the Chinese government following a recent “frank” discussion on military matters with Canadian officials. This meeting, which China stated occurred in Canada on September 4, comes after a period of strained diplomacy and has sparked concerns among Conservative factions opposed to military collaboration with China.
According to China’s defense ministry, the two nations engaged in their fifth defense coordination dialogue last week, a report later corroborated by Canada’s Department of National Defence. Both sides reportedly had a sincere and extensive exchange on international and regional issues of mutual concern, expressing a shared desire to enhance practical exchanges, cooperation between their militaries, and foster greater mutual understanding and trust.
It was revealed that Ottawa has not engaged in any military exercises or cooperation with the People’s Liberation Army since 2018 during a diplomatic dispute triggered by Beijing’s detention of two Canadians. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa characterized the meeting as “the resumption of military talks between the two countries after eight years,” although Canada’s Department of National Defence did not explicitly confirm this description.
Instead, the Department issued a statement emphasizing that the meeting aimed to support ongoing military-to-military communications at a functional level. The discussions were framed within Canada’s strategy of establishing “guardrails” in its relations with China, delineating specific areas for potential deeper cooperation and areas, such as defense, where collaboration is not sought.
Despite these assertions, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre expressed skepticism, citing previous statements by Carney identifying China as Canada’s primary global threat. Poilievre criticized the resumption of defense coordination talks with Beijing, highlighting the lack of transparency around the discussions and reiterating his opposition to military cooperation with a regime that has engaged in actions such as detaining Canadian citizens, election interference, and establishing police facilities on Canadian soil.
In early 2024, Canadian military officials disclosed their efforts to facilitate more open dialogue with their Chinese counterparts following an incident in early 2023 involving a high-altitude balloon that had traversed American and Canadian airspace allegedly from China. The incident spurred discussions aimed at transitioning from confrontational exchanges to rebuilding relationships with China.
China’s ambassador at the time expressed concerns about Canada’s naval maneuvers through the Taiwan Strait, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect in bilateral interactions.