Canada's Trade Minister Sidhu to Visit China November 3 to 6, Co-Chairing Joint Economic and Trade Commission in Beijing
Global Affairs Canada announced in Ottawa on November 2 that Maninder Sidhu, Canada's Minister of International Trade, will be in China from November 3 to 6, 2026, visiting Beijing and Shanghai to advance Canada's trade and investment priorities.
In Beijing, Sidhu will co-lead the Canada-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETC) meeting with Wang Wentao, China's Minister of Commerce. Canada said the JETC is being held at the ministerial level for the first time, and will provide an opportunity to discuss bilateral trade issues, advance areas of mutual economic interest and deepen cooperation that supports a stable and predictable trading relationship.
In Shanghai, Sidhu will meet with government officials, investors and businesses, including at the China International Import Expo, which Canada described as one of the world's largest trade and investment events and where Canada is the Guest Country of Honour. He will highlight Canada's strengths and explore opportunities to expand commercial cooperation in priority sectors including agri-food and agriculture, energy, clean technology and consumer products.
Sidhu said that in January he joined Prime Minister Mark Carney as they unlocked a new trade arrangement with China, Canada's second-largest single-country trading partner, unlocking $7 billion of new opportunities for Canadian businesses, and that in the first half of this year Canada's merchandise exports to China grew by 31.4% to $21.5 billion. At the JETC and the Import Expo this week, he said, he will build on that progress toward a stable and predictable trading relationship, as Canada works to grow exports to China by 50% by 2030.
According to figures provided by Global Affairs Canada, China is Canada's second-largest single-country merchandise trading partner, with $125.7 billion in two-way merchandise trade in 2025 — $35.0 billion in Canadian exports to China and $90.6 billion in imports. Prime Minister Carney's first official visit to China in January 2026 marked a turning point, when he and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a new strategic partnership.
(Source: Global Affairs Canada)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加拿大国际贸易部长 Maninder Sidhu（右）与欧盟委员会贸易委员 Maroš Šefčovič 握手（资料图）。Sophie Bouquillon 摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu (right) shaking hands with European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič (file photo). Photo by Sophie Bouquillon, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
