Carney, Lee…: China's new game of courting US allies spurned by Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Beijing to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and mend diplomatic relations with China, as US President Donald Trump drives up global uncertainty.

On Friday, Carney began talks with Xi, marking the first meeting between the countries’ leaders in China’s capital in eight years. Carney arrived at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital for the discussions, in which he is expected to push for more engagement between the two countries on trade, energy, agriculture and international security.

The Canadian PM’s China visit is not the only one being observed by the US as Beijing engages in the game of courting its allies and grabs the opportunity amid Trump’s decisive policies.

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Carney-Xi meeting: What to expect?

Canada’s relations with China have been among the worst of any Western nation. But Carney and Xi in late October held the first formal talks between the countries’ leaders since 2017, with the Chinese president inviting the Canadian to visit.

Carney’s visit will aim to “elevate engagement on trade, energy, agriculture, and international security”, his office said in a statement.

While the Canadian official declined to specify the exact options being considered or whether a formal deal is currently under development, they confirmed that a “concerted effort” is underway between Canada and China.

The official emphasised that both nations are working collaboratively to address the matter, with the primary goal of achieving “progress over time” through sustained diplomatic engagement.

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Ottawa is also looking to expand its petroleum and liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets in locations including China.

Lee’s China visit

Carney’s visit started right after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung concluded his historic trip to China.

During his meeting with Lee, Xi asked the visiting leader to join Beijing in making the “right strategic choices” in a world that is “becoming more complex and turbulent.”

Lee Jae Myung became the first South Korean leader to visit the Chinese capital in six years and his meeting with Xi came a day after the nuclear-armed North fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.

At their 90-minute summit, Lee and Xi agreed on the importance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the resumption of dialogue with North Korea, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

Starmer to visit China

Last year in December, the British government planned a visit to China for Prime Minister Kier Starmer in the second half of January.

The trip could be postponed if Beijing decides that a lack of progress on approving China’s contentious plan to build what would be Europe’s largest embassy in London represents too significant a political setback for the leaders to meet.

Starmer accused Britain’s previous Conservative government of overseeing a deteriorating relationship with China, which he called a “dereliction of duty”.

Merz to visit China

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to visit China in February 2026, marking a critical moment in his “de-risking” strategy. In a deliberate break from tradition, Merz prioritised a high-profile trip to India earlier this month to signal a shift toward economic diversification. His upcoming visit to Beijing is intended to stabilise relations with Germany’s largest trading partner and secure market access for German industry, particularly as global trade tensions rise.

The trip comes at a volatile time, as Merz must balance domestic pressure to protect German automotive interests with the need to navigate new tariff threats from the United States.

While in Beijing, he is expected to engage in “tough-love” diplomacy—maintaining essential supply chains for green energy while pushing for more reciprocal trade terms. This visit is widely seen as a precursor to broader international negotiations ahead of a planned summit between Washington and Beijing later this spring.