OTTAWA — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has signaled a firm diplomatic stance ahead of his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, declaring that he intends to address allegations of foreign interference directly.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Prime Minister Carney confirmed that he will sit down with President Xi on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18–19. The leaders are expected to tackle a broad agenda, ranging from bilateral trade expansion to sensitive governance issues.

"The benefit of these kinds of discussions is that we can raise pressing concerns directly and candidly," Carney remarked. He emphasized that he plans to make clear how vital national sovereignty and non-interference are to Canada.

Relations between Ottawa and Beijing have faced severe strain in recent years. Prior to last April's general election, Carney publicly labeled China as Canada's foremost national security threat. Tensions have been fueled by ongoing public inquiries and intelligence findings suggesting covert Chinese operations during the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Canadian security agencies previously reported evidence indicating efforts to back favored candidates and disseminate disinformation campaigns against critics of Beijing, alongside controversy surrounding alleged unofficial overseas police outposts.

An official government-commissioned report published last year formally identified China as the most active foreign threat actor targeting Canada’s democratic systems.

Beijing has repeatedly pushed back against the accusations. Following the release of last year's findings, the Chinese Embassy in Canada dismissed the report as groundless smears. Reiterating this position during a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun maintained that Beijing strictly adheres to a policy of non-intervention and has no interest in meddling in Canadian domestic affairs.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]