Canada–China relations

Canada–China relations, or Sino-Canadian relations, officially date back to 1942, when Canada sent an ambassador to China. Before then, Canada had been represented by the British ambassador. The Communist victory (1949) in the Chinese Civil War resulted a break in relations that lasted until 1970, when Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau became one of the first Western leaders to recognize the People's Republic of China.

China was one of Canada's largest trading partners in Asia for a few years, including 2017. It was Canada's top export market and top import supplier in Asia. On the other hand, Canada had a significant trade imbalance, importing CA$44.235 billion more from China than the value of its exports to the country in 2016, for example.

Relations between the Canadian and Chinese governments have deteriorated significantly in recent years, particularly during the tenures of CCP general secretary Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. Canada has criticized the Chinese government over issues such as the oppression of Uyghurs in China, the crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, allegedly unfair trade practices, and espionage and intimidation activities in Canada. In 2022, Canada referred to China as "disruptive" in its official Indo-Pacific strategy document.

The Chinese government, in turn, sees Canada's position as reflective of growing anti-China sentiment and anxiety regarding the country's ascendancy to superpower status.

Canadian views on China have cooled considerably. Only 14% of Canadians view the country favourably, according to polling conducted in early 2021. Moreover, according to a 2021 poll by Maru Public Opinion, 52% of Canadians view China as the nation's "biggest foreign threat" and believe a Second Cold War between the United States and China has already begun.