(3 April 2026 – Canada) Canada’s finance minister and his Chinese counterpart discussed supply chain integrity and other trade matters in Beijing on Friday, as the two countries aim to boost trade with each other while facing tariffs and trade friction with the U.S.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, who met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, told reporters he also discussed the impact of geopolitical tensions on the oil and gas market and how China sees Canada as a stable energy supplier.
“We are becoming a partner of choice,” he said.
The two officials also agreed to hold high-level economic and financial dialogue in the second half of this year, according to an official Chinese summary of the meeting.
Champagne said the discussions centred on the financial services sector but addressed trade in energy and pork, as well as fair labour practices.”
Canada puts a lot of importance on supply chain integrity and that our bilateral trade needs to be conducted in accordance with international standards,” Champagne said.
Canada, like China, has been targeted with tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump since his administration took office in January 2025. Strained U.S. trade relations have posed a major challenge for the Canadian economy.