China-Canada trade breakthrough: Beijing eases agriculture tariffs after Mark Carney visit

China has announced to suspend some tariffs on Canadian agricultural products after Prime Minister Mark Carney struck an initial deal with Beijing during high-level talks in January.

The announcement reflects a thaw in the trade spate between Beijing and Ottawa dominated by imposed tariffs on Chinese EVs, steel and aluminium.

China also responded with 100 percent duties on Canadian rapeseed oil and meal and started an anti-dumping investigation that also led to levies on rapeseed.

China is set to completely remove the 100 percent tariffs on Canadian canola meal and pea imports. The government will suspend 25 percent tariffs on crab and lobster imports, as reported by Reuters.

According to the finance ministry, the changes in taxes will take place from March 1, 2026.

Although aligned with Carney’s expectations, the announcement did not mention to what level China will lower tariffs on Canola seeds.

Previously, Carney had expected Beijing to reduce Canola seed tariffs to a combined rate of 15 percent from the current 84 percent.

According to a statement issued by the Chinese commerce ministry, the investigation into Canadian canola will be concluded on March 9.

"One thing we do know is that Chinese buyers have been booking Canadian canola cargoes for March already. That gives me a pretty high degree of confidence that they're going to follow through on the reduced tariff rate," Even Rogers Pay, director at Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China, said.

The tariff suspension statement also did not include pork and canola oil.

Recently, most western leaders have been making trade deals with China because of Trump’s unpredictable policies and tariff-driven coercion. The countries see Beijing as a more steady and dependable business partner in a turbulent geopolitical landscape.