Wednesday January 7, 2026 | OTTAWA, ON [Posted from VICTORIA, BC – 10:26 am PT, updated January 8 & 13, 2026]
News & analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Prime Minister Mark Carney will undertake two trade missions in this month, one to China and one to Switzerland.
As announced by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today, the two trips will be:
- People’s Republic of China – January 13 to 17, 2026 – to build on the first official meeting (October 2025), meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. Expected areas of focus: trade, energy, agriculture and international security. This marks the first visit to China by a Canadian Prime Minister since 2017. [Update: Carney will arrive in Beijing at 8:45 pm on Wed January 14, local time in China]
- Qatar – January 18, 2026 – to diversify Canada’s trade, attract new investment, and secure new economic partnerships.
- Davos, Switzerland – January 19 to 21, 2026 – to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting; meet with government and business leaders, deepen economic partnerships and create new opportunities for Canadian workers and industries. Expected areas of focus: positioning Canada as a premiere destination for global capital and investment including in natural resources, agriculture, energy and advanced technologies. [US President Donald Trump is also expected to attend this meeting]
Carney continues to deliver a message of focusing on what is within Canada’s control in a world of rapid change. The World Economic Forum brings together many of the world’s leading voices in government, civil society, and the private sector to help shape responses to pressing global challenges.
Trip to China has been in the works:
This will be Prime Minister Carney’s first official visit to the People’s Republic of China and his first participation in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting as Prime Minister.
Carney met briefly with Xi Jinping at the end of October 2025 on the sidelines of a trade meeting in South Korea, where the invitation for Canada’s prime minister to visit China was offered.
China is the second largest single-country trading partner to Canada, totalling $118.7 billion in two-way merchandise trade in 2024. Canadian merchandise exports to China were $29.9 billion, while merchandise imports were $88.8 billion.
The China challenge:
Fair enough that some critics say that “China interferes in Canadian governments, is Putin’s top ally, threatens to invade Taiwan and broke its one country/two systems promise in Hong Kong” (journalist Bob Mackin, January 7, 2026, on X).
But having access to world leaders for face-to-face and private discussions is the way of international diplomacy — where intel can be gleaned and where change can take root.
Trump to China:
US President Donald Trump will reportedly be making an official visit to China in April.
===== RELATED:
- Carney meets Xi about trade issues, accepts invitation to meet again (October 31, 2025)
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