Canada’s Carney to raise election meddling concerns in talks with China’s Xi

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday that he would stress the importance of “non-interference in our affairs by China” when he meets President Xi Jinping later this month.

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.

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

WATCH: Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Canadian PM Mark Carney

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.

Carney has said Canada needs to urgently diversify its foreign trade to reduce dependence on the US