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US-Canada Tension: Trump Threatens Canada With 100% Tariff if It Strikes Deal With China

By The South Asia Times

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump fired a broadside at Canada on social media Saturday, accusing Ottawa of positioning itself as a “drop-off port” for Chinese goods into the United States and warning that Washington would impose punitive tariffs if such a relationship materialized.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Canada would be “sorely mistaken” to deepen economic ties with China, asserting that Chinese competition would “eat Canada alive” and undermine its businesses and social fabric.

He threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods and products entering the U.S. if Ottawa pursued a closer deal with Beijing, without offering further details on timing or implementation.

Trump’s statement comes amid rising tensions over Canada’s recent diplomatic pivot toward China. Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney completed a high-profile official visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials to reset bilateral relations.

During the trip, Carney and Xi agreed to strengthen a new strategic partnership aimed at expanding cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, finance, education, and people-to-people exchanges. Canada reaffirmed its commitment to the one-China policy and Beijing signalled its willingness to deepen engagement across sectors that benefit both economies.

The two countries also moved to ease longstanding trade frictions, with both sides signalling tariff adjustments that could facilitate the export of Canadian agricultural products and the import of Chinese electric vehicles later this year.

Carney’s visit is part of Ottawa’s broader strategy to diversify its economic partnerships and reduce heavy reliance on the United States, its largest trading partner for decades. The rapprochement with China marks a significant shift in Canada’s international economic policy amid global trade disruptions and changing geopolitical dynamics.

Trump’s sharp warning highlights the growing strain in Canada-U.S. relations over trade and foreign policy, even as Ottawa seeks to balance its economic interests with broader geopolitical allegiances.

Analysts say the unfolding debate reflects deeper questions about North America’s economic future and the strategic implications of Canada’s evolving ties with China.