Canadian, Chinese Foreign Ministers Hold First Official Talk in More Than a Year

The ministers discussed a range of issues including the Israel–Hamas conflict, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and ongoing challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 11, 2023. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly held her first formal talk with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in more than a year and a half amid heightened attention to Chinese interference in Canada.

The ministers covered a broad range of international and regional issues during their talk, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said in a Jan. 11 press release. Topics included the Israel–Hamas conflict, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and ongoing challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.