Beijing has cautioned against a “zero-sum mentality,” following the warning from the United States, which has threatened additional levies against Canada over its trade deal with China.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. will impose 100% tariffs on imports from Canada if it finalizes the recent agreement with China, a threat Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Bessent vowed that America would not allow Canada to become a conduit for Chinese “cheap goods.”
Reacting on Monday, China said it established a “strategic partnership” with Canada and made specific arrangements on properly handling mutual economic and trade issues.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun noted that the renewed Beijing-Ottawa alliance reflects the spirit of equality, inclusiveness, peaceful cooperation, and shared benefit.
Jiakun said the China-Canada deal does not target any third party, but serves their people’s interests and “is conducive to world peace, stability, development and prosperity.”
China advised countries to approach bilateral relations “in the spirit of win-win rather than the mentality of zero-sum, and through cooperation rather than confrontation.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed several memoranda of understanding during Carney’s state visit.
The heads of state announced a crucial partnership based upon five pillars: economic and trade cooperation, public safety and security, culture, and multilateralism.
Responding to Trump’s threat while speaking to reporters on Sunday, Carney emphasized that Canada has “no intention” of pursuing a free trade agreement with China.
“We respect our engagements, our commitments,” he said in Ottawa. “What we’ve done is to rectify some issues that developed in the last couple of years.”
The Prime Minister restated his country’s dedication to the trilateral Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement, known as CUSMA in Canada and USMCA in the U.S.
