Prime Minister Mark Carney

hopes to meet

Chinese President Xi Jinping

next week as he tries to offset

U.S. tariffs

by easing trade tensions with the world’s second-largest economy.

Carney is pursuing a meeting with the Chinese leader on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, but nothing has been confirmed, a Canadian government official told reporters in a background briefing on Thursday.

In the briefing, the official said Carney is pursuing a “strategic relationship” with China. Another official said Carney believes firmly in talking to everyone — he’s been clear about areas in which the two countries can and can’t cooperate, and the goal is to further Canada’s interests and build out good opportunities for Canadian industries.

Carney met Chinese Premier Li Qiang in New York last month and the two committed to continued engagement, including at the “highest levels” of government. The G20 Summit in South Africa in late November will be another opportunity for Carney and Xi to meet, an official said in the briefing.

China has imposed painful tariffs on

Canadian canola,

seafood and pork in retaliation for Canada’s levies on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. Canada first brought in the tariffs last year in an effort to align with U.S. policy against key Chinese sectors.

Carney has pushed to improve relations with Beijing, with his foreign minister visiting the Chinese capital to meet with her counterpart earlier this month. But he faces a challenge in trying to warm up ties with China amid delicate trade talks with the U.S. — which is by far Canada’s largest trading partner.

U.S. President Donald Trump

is set to meet with Xi on the margins of the APEC summit in their first face-to-face meeting of the U.S. leader’s second term.

Carney’s government is reviewing its tariffs on Chinese EVs, but removing them now may undermine Canada’s negotiating position with the U.S. That leaves the question of what Canada can realistically offer China as it seeks relief from the agricultural import taxes.

Still, Carney has said he sees major opportunities to expand energy and agricultural trade with China. He’s bullish on shipping more

liquefied natural gas

to Asia and appears open to a possible new oil pipeline to Canada’s west coast.

There is no bilateral meeting scheduled between Carney and Trump at the APEC summit, but an official in the briefing said the two will “certainly see each other” and are in frequent contact. Carney has said it’s “possible” Canada and the U.S. may reach a sectoral tariff deal by the summit, but he also warned against overplaying that timeline.

Carney departs Friday for a week-long trip in Asia, first stopping in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. He aims to advance new export opportunities for Canadian industries, and he’ll also meet with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the official said.

He’ll then travel to Singapore, where he’ll meet with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and push to deepen the partnership between the two countries on trade, energy and technology. Carney also plans to meet with leaders from the private sector and government institutions, including state-owned investment firm Temasek Holdings, the official said.

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While in South Korea, Carney will meet with President Lee Jae Myung and promote opportunities for collaboration including in critical minerals, energy and defense, the official added. The prime minister will also attend a working dinner with Australia’s Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Christopher Luxon.

As well, he will visit Hanwha Ocean Co.’s submarine manufacturing facility, as Canada mulls awarding a multibillion-dollar contract to the Korean company. It’s also considering a Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems bid led by Germany and Norway. Defense ministers from the two nations traveled to Ottawa this week to make their pitch.

Bloomberg.com