"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, with both leaders pledging to tear down trade barriers and deepen ties after nearly a decade of strained relations between the two nations. Carney, becoming the first Canadian prime minister to visit China in eight years, called the partnership 'a new opportunity,' saying it would deepen bilateral ties and help strengthen the multilateral system for the benefit of the world. "Together we can build on the best of what this relationship has been in the past to create a new one, adapted to new global realities that will deliver stability, security, and prosperity to our peoples on both sides of the Pacific," said Carney as he spoke in the Great Hall of the People. Xi told Carney he is 'pleased' by the progress the two sides have made since their last meeting, stating that those talks have 'opened a new chapter' of improvement and positive momentum for China-Canada relations. "The sound and stable development of China-Canada relations serves the common interests of our two countries and contributes to global peace, stability, and development. I'm willing to work together with you to promote China-Canada relations onto a path of healthy, stable, and sustainable development," said Xi. During the meeting, China and Canada reached a wide-ranging agreement to lower trade barriers, including a reduction in tariffs for Canadian canola seed and Chinese electric vehicles, as both countries seek to improve ties and diversify trade from the US. Canada will initially allow imports of up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles at a national tariff rate of 6.1 per cent. Relations between Canada and China have faced crises after the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co., Meng Wanzhou, was detained in Canada in 2018 at the request of the US. In 2024, Ottawa supported US tariffs against Beijing, also imposing a 100 per cent rate on EVs and 25 per cent on steel and aluminium from China.  The visit comes as Canada moves to offset trade tensions with the US after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on some Canadian goods and suggested the long-time ally could become the country's '51st state' - which Canada has condemned. China has also been hit by US tariffs but saw huge wins following Xi-Trump talks and is also seeking to form broader ties around the world."