BEIJING: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping began talks in Beijing on Friday, marking the first meeting between the countries’ leaders in China’s capital in eight years. Carney lauded a “new strategic partnership” between the two countries after he arrived for the talks at the Great Hall of the People. Following President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs on Canadian products, Carney has sought to reduce his country’s economic reliance on its main market, the United States.

The PM is seeking to deepen trade and repair ties with China after years of tense relations - without compromising national security or provoking the US.

“If the Canadian side reflects on the root causes of the setbacks ... it will realize that it can avoid the same outcome,” China Daily wrote in an op-ed.