Why Canada’s China Pivot Makes US Tariff Relief Harder

Analysts say Ottawa’s Beijing outreach is raising new security and trade concerns in Washington—making U.S. tariff relief even harder to secure.

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 15, 2026. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

News Analysis

For much of the past year, Canada and the United States have been stuck in a familiar cycle: trade tensions and competing narratives about who’s to blame. What used to look like one of the world’s closest alliances now looks strained, and increasingly unpredictable.