Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s minister of international trade, on Wednesday announced that Canada and China have agreed to a two-year extension, until the end of 2028, of favourable market access for Canadian canola meal, peas, lobsters and crab. The access is provided under the Preliminary Joint Arrangement, Global Affairs Canada said.
The extension was agreed at a meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Commission in Beijing. Sidhu co-led the meeting with Wang Wentao, China’s minister of commerce. Global Affairs Canada said this is the first time the commission has met at the ministerial level.
The measures were first introduced under the Preliminary Joint Arrangement on Addressing Bilateral Economic and Trade Issues, announced during Prime Minister Carney’s visit to Beijing in January 2026. That arrangement addressed restored market access for key Canadian agriculture, agri-food and seafood products. Following the prime minister’s visit, China also restored market access for Canadian beef in January 2026, the department said.
Global Affairs Canada said the extension will give Canadian farmers, seafood harvesters and exporters greater certainty and predictability, while supporting increased Canadian exports to China. Sidhu said the arrangement has restored access for Canadian beef and lowered tariffs on canola seed, canola meal, peas, lobster and crab, supporting sectors that sustain more than 600,000 jobs in Canada. He said the agreement he reached this week extends the arrangement until the end of 2028.
Canada will extend to the end of 2028 previous remission measures covered by the original arrangement for certain Chinese steel and aluminum products not made in Canada, according to the news release. Canada will continue discussions with China on ways to meet the government’s target of increasing Canadian exports to China by 50%. Sidhu said Canada will grow exports to China by 50% by 2030.
Heath MacDonald, minister of agriculture and agri-food, said the extension is good news for Canadian farmers, ranchers and workers across the agriculture and agri-food chain. Joanne Thompson, minister of fisheries, said the announcement keeps Canadian lobster and crab moving into one of Canada’s largest markets. She said she met last week in China with government officials and industry leaders.
Global Affairs Canada described stable, predictable access to one of Canada’s largest trading partners as a key part of Canada’s plan to diversify trade, open new markets for Canadian businesses and build a stronger, more resilient economy.
China is Canada’s second-largest single-country merchandise trading partner, with $125.7 billion in two-way merchandise trade in 2025, Global Affairs Canada said. Canadian merchandise exports to China were valued at $35.0 billion, and merchandise imports were $90.6 billion. In the first half of this year, exports to China grew by 31.4% to $21.5 billion, the department said.
Prime Minister Carney’s first official visit to China in January 2026 marked a turning point in the relationship, according to Global Affairs Canada. Carney and President Xi Jinping announced a new Strategic Partnership during that visit. The Joint Economic and Trade Commission is the primary mechanism for Canada and China to address bilateral trade and economic issues, and it is co-chaired by Canada’s minister of international trade and China’s minister of commerce.