Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent engagement with China has raised eyebrows as Canada seeks to strengthen ties with the Asian economic giant. Carney met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in South Korea last month. He accepted an invitation to visit China, calling the meeting a "turning point" in the relationship. This development follows an announcement that Canada and China have agreed to revive a "strategic partnership," as described by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand after her meeting with her Chinese counterpart earlier in October. The renewed focus on Canada-China relations appears to be driven by a desire to diversify Canadian exports away from the United States and foster closer trade ties with Asia. Anand framed the revived partnership as a platform to assert Canada’s interests. During the meeting, Carney reportedly raised concerns about foreign interference with Xi. However, critics argue that this engagement overlooks a decade of China's aggressive actions toward Canada and its human rights violations. Canada is re-establishing relations with a country known for its controversial practices, including hostage diplomacy. The detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for over 1,000 days exemplifies this troubling trend. A recent report from the Hogue Inquiry highlighted that the People’s Republic of China is the most active perpetrator of foreign interference targeting Canada’s democratic institutions. It also noted that China poses a significant cyber threat, utilizing social media for disinformation campaigns. Concerns about China's human rights record have also resurfaced. Reports indicate that China is detaining Christian leaders and employing tactics reminiscent of historical oppressive regimes. Since 2020, Canada has observed the increasing repression of dissidents in Hong Kong under the National Security Law. Just four years ago, Canada’s Parliament unanimously recognized China's treatment of the Uyghur minority as genocide. Howard Anglin, a former deputy chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, emphasized the risks of engaging with the Chinese government, stating, "When we engage with the Chinese government, we deal with an outlaw regime that holds us in even lower contempt than the rule of law." Michael Kovrig, who was detained in China, warned that dependency on China could lead to political manipulation, stating, "If you create dependency on China, it will weaponize it for political purposes and to silence Canada and constrain our foreign policy." Canada's own Indo-Pacific Strategy characterizes China as "an increasingly disruptive global power" that disregards international norms. As Canada navigates this complex relationship, the implications of rekindling ties with China remain a topic of significant concern.