Western leaders step up engagement with China amid global uncertainty

Western leaders have stepped up diplomatic and economic engagement with China in recent weeks, signaling a renewed focus on ties with the world's second-largest economy.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing earlier this month and signed multiple cooperation agreements. Speaking in Quebec City after his trip, during which the two countries signed many agreements covering various fields, Carney emphasized that "in a time of rising walls and thickening borders, we demonstrate how a country can be both open and secure, welcoming and strong, principled and powerful."

Carney framed the visit to Beijing as part of a broader strategy to ensure Canada thrives by building independent, mutually beneficial partnerships rather than relying on unstable powers.

Similarly, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo led a delegation of top business executives to China starting January 25, highlighting their intent to strengthen bilateral trade and investment. Observers noted that European countries are increasingly viewing engagement with China as both pragmatic and essential.

Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, center, leads a Finnish delegation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo: VCG)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also preparing a high-level delegation to Beijing this week, marking the first UK prime ministerial visit in eight years.

The Observer, a U.K.-based news outlet cites an unnamed source as saying that "Starmer thinks it was a dereliction of duty by previous prime ministers not to go to China."

The delegation includes senior government officials and business leaders, and the visit is widely seen as a critical moment for setting the tone of Sino-British relations over the next two to three years.

The recent surge of visits to China by leaders from Western countries comes against the backdrop of concerns over unilateral actions by the Trump administration, which have unsettled allies and strained traditional frameworks of cooperation.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized NATO, threatened new tariffs on key allies, and claimed European nations and Canada owed a "debt" to the United States.

European leaders were reportedly taken aback, while former U.S. national security adviser Phil Gordon noted that officials asked him, "Is this America? And is the post-World War II era definitively over — or is there any hope it comes back?"

Such episodes have contributed to Western countries seeking alternative avenues for reliable partnerships, particularly with China.

China's market size, policy stability, and commitment to multilateralism have strengthened its appeal. John Miller-White, executive chairman of the U.S.-China Cooperation Foundation, said, "China demonstrates that a country can develop while contributing ideas and solutions to the world."

At Davos, Chinese representatives outlined commitments to expand domestic demand, accelerate technological innovation, and promote green development, offering opportunities for international partners to participate in high-quality growth.

French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders have expressed support for engagement with China, viewing it as a stabilizing force in a turbulent global economy.

The recent surge of visits by Canada, Finland, and the United Kingdom demonstrates that deepening cooperation with China is no longer optional but a central component of Western nations' economic and diplomatic strategy, critics said.