Canadian Prime Minister Promises to Limit Chinese Electric Vehicle Imports

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was overheard on a live microphone reassuring U.S. President Donald Trump that Canada plans to limit imports of Chinese electric vehicles. This exchange occurred during a meeting at the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Évian-les-Bains, France.

In the footage, Carney, speaking in a subdued tone to Trump, made a hand gesture indicating a limit. He mentioned that the cap would restrict Chinese electric vehicles to less than 3 percent of the Canadian market, approximately 49,000 vehicles. Carney added, “I thought you’d like that,” which prompted Trump’s approval, “That’s good, I like that.” Newsweek contacted the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for a comment.

The discussion took place on Tuesday at the G7 summit, located on Lake Geneva’s shores close to the Swiss border. Leaders from France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom were present at the meeting.

Earlier this year, Carney visited Beijing, joining other world leaders in formulating agreements amid growing trade uncertainties with the U.S. This uncertainty was rooted in Trump’s extensive tariffs imposed the previous year. Despite threats from Trump to impose a 100 percent tariff on Canadian goods, Carney proceeded with negotiations with China, which included the import of Chinese electric vehicles.

While China did not participate directly in the summit, discussions heavily featured concerns about China’s economic practices. G7 members highlighted issues like China’s state subsidies and industrial policies that are perceived to cause global economic disparities.

During Carney’s trip to Beijing, he agreed to allow the entry of up to 49,000 Chinese electric cars into Canada under a most-favored-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent, a significant reduction from the 100 percent duty enacted in 2024. In response, China consented to lower its tariffs on Canadian canola from 85 percent to approximately 15 percent.

Recent diplomatic efforts address trade tensions between the U.S. and China, including Trump’s recent visit to Beijing. Trump also invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit the United States in September, highlighting ongoing efforts to ease trade relations.