In November 2022, Canada ended its diplomatic engagement with China after years of tensions.

In November 2022, Canada formally ended its long-standing diplomatic engagement with China, marking the end of high-level dialogues and bilateral engagement mechanisms. This decision followed years of diplomatic tensions, including China's detention of two Canadian citizens as bargaining chips. The engagement policy was challenging to quit due to its resilience, lack of critical evaluation, and transformation into a habit rather than a conscious policy choice. The Canadian government established channels for high-level policy debate and regular deputy ministers meetings on China, enabling policymakers to challenge the logic of engagement and experiment with new policy ideas. While a complete estrangement from China would be a mistake, a working relationship and clear-eyed strategy on China are in Canada's best interests, as engagement may still be valuable for holding Chinese authorities accountable when their actions violate international law.

August 20, 2024
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