Canada and China thaw continues as militaries hold first talks in 8 years amid US pressure

China and Canada’s armed forces held their first round of talks in eight years on Friday in the face of growing tensions with the United States.

The Chinese defence ministry said there had been a candid and in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern.

“[Both sides] expressed willingness to strengthen practical exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries, and enhanced mutual understanding and trust,” the ministry added.

It was the first meeting through a channel known as the Defence Coordination Dialogue since April 2018 and the fifth since it was launched in 2013.

However, during that time, the then Canadian defence minister Bill Blair met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in 2024.

China and Canada have been working to reset relations after years of tension by resuming high-level exchanges, expanding direct flights and working to ease trade tensions in areas such as agriculture and electric vehicles.

In July, Li Yao, the defence attache at the Chinese embassy in Canada, said the “continued improvement” of relations between the two countries had “created favourable conditions for closer communication and exchanges between the two militaries”.