Carney vows to warn China against "interference" in Canadian elections

Montreal, Canada - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that he will stress the importance of "non-interference in our affairs by China" when he meets President Xi Jinping later this month.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to members of the press on Parliament Hill in Ontario, Canada, on November 5. Carney said he would warn China not to interfere in Canadian affairs when he meets with Xi Jinping.   © Dave Chan / AFP

A 2025 public inquiry into allegations of election meddling identified China as "the most active perpetrator of foreign interference targeting Canada's democratic institutions."

Carney confirmed he would meet Xi at the November 18-19 APEC summit and would discuss "many things," including efforts to broaden bilateral trade.

"The advantage of these meetings is you can raise issues directly and frankly, and I will be raising the importance with which we attach to the non-interference in our affairs by China and other countries," Carney said.

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China has consistently denied allegations that it interferes in the internal affairs of other states.

But the final report from Canada's Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference concluded that China "views Canada as a high-priority target" and meddled in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Canada's federal police have also investigated reports that China operates illegal police stations on Canadian soil tasked with harassing or intimidating Chinese expatriates.

Carney visited China in January as part of his push to restore ties that crumbled under former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

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Carney has said Canada needs to urgently diversify its foreign trade to reduce dependence on the US and has made China and India key targets.