Canada Pivots to China as Trump Tariffs Push America's Allies Eastward

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a new strategic partnership with China, a dramatic pivot that mirrors Europe's own recalibration of relations with Beijing as Washington's allies face unprecedented pressure from the Trump administration.

A Decade of Distance Ends

Carney made the announcement during an official state visit to Beijing, where he received full military honours. "The Canada-China relationship has been distant and uncertain for nearly a decade," he said. "We're changing that, with a new strategic partnership that benefits the people of both our nations."

The visit marks the first high-level Canadian engagement with China since diplomatic relations deteriorated following the 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver and China's subsequent detention of two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

China has sweetened the deal by announcing visa-free entry for Canadian visitors, a gesture of diplomatic goodwill that signals Beijing's eagerness to court Western democracies feeling squeezed by Washington.

Chinese state media heralded the visit as evidence of shifting global alignments. One Chinese journalist wrote that Carney's trip "has not only yielded tangible cooperation agreements worth billions of dollars, but also signaled a decisive shift in Ottawa's China policy, especially when facing unpredictable and unreliable U.S. policies."

America's Allies Look East

The Canadian pivot comes at a moment of profound uncertainty in transatlantic and North American relations. Trump has threatened Canada with 25% tariffs, floated the idea of making Canada the "51st state," and imposed levies on European allies over the Greenland dispute.

For Europeans watching from across the Atlantic, Canada's dilemma feels uncomfortably familiar. Just days ago, French President Emmanuel Macron declared at Davos that "China is welcome" in Europe, calling for more Chinese investment in key sectors.

The parallel is striking: America's closest allies are simultaneously discovering that loyalty to Washington no longer guarantees protection from Washington.

"The US just put tariffs on Europe over Greenland. Can't blame Canada for looking elsewhere." - @ManiamAkash

Domestic Backlash and American Fury

The partnership has provoked fierce debate within Canada. Critics point to China's record on human rights, its interference in Canadian elections documented by intelligence services, and the trauma of the Michaels affair.

Conservative opposition figures have condemned the deal. Some high-profile American commentators, including Trump ally Steve Bannon, went further, making inflammatory comparisons between Canada and Ukraine as a potential conflict zone.

The rhetoric has shocked many Canadians, though some on social media responded with defiance. "All Canadians have always had antipathy towards the US," wrote one commenter. "It was just the cultural norm... due to being weak and living beside an 800 pound gorilla."

Others pointed out the contradiction in American criticism. "Most western countries have a partnership and strong trade relationship with China," noted one Canadian user. Australia, for instance, counts China as both its top export and import trading partner.

Europe's Lesson for Canada

The EU has spent years learning to balance economic engagement with China against security concerns and values-based foreign policy. The European experience offers lessons for Canada as it embarks on a similar tightrope walk.

When Russia mocked Europe's defence dilemma and its dependence on American weapons while facing American tariffs, it underscored a reality now hitting Canada: allies can become pressure points.

The EU's response has been to accelerate efforts toward strategic autonomy, developing independent defence capabilities and preparing economic tools like the anti-coercion mechanism to defend against trade weaponisation.

Canada lacks the EU's institutional heft, but it may find common cause with European partners facing the same squeeze. Some Europeans have even floated creative solutions. "We in the European Union would be honored to have Canada," wrote one Danish commentator. "Considering Canada's proximity to Greenland, the idea of it joining the EU makes more and more sense."

What This Means for the West

Carney's China gambit carries risks. Critics warn of becoming entangled with an authoritarian power; supporters argue economic diversification is prudent in an era of American unpredictability.

What seems clear is that the old certainties of the Western alliance are fraying. When Greenland tells Trump to go away, when Europe prepares trade defences against Washington, and when Canada pivots to Beijing, something fundamental has shifted.

The Trump administration's approach has achieved a remarkable feat: pushing America's closest allies closer to China while insisting they are enemies for doing so. The irony has not been lost on observers in Brussels, Ottawa, or Canberra.

For the European Union, Canada's move validates the path toward strategic autonomy. If even America's northern neighbour, with whom it shares the world's longest undefended border, must hedge its bets, then the case for an independent European foreign policy has never been stronger.