During her first formal talk with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in more than a year and a half, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly discussed a broad range of international and regional issues. According to Global Affairs Canada (GAC), topics included the Israel–Hamas conflict, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and ongoing challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. The press release stated that Minister Joly emphasized Canada’s intention to pursue pragmatic diplomacy and uphold its “interests and values” as outlined in Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. This was the first formal meeting between the two ministers since April 5, 2022, although they have maintained engagement such as during international summits which ultimately led to their latest phone conversation. Tensions between Canada and China have worsened amid conflicts, including Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and China’s subsequent detention of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, widely regarded as retaliatory hostage diplomacy. Reports of China’s secret police stations operating both in Canada and globally have also contributed to the strained relationship. Furthermore, reports of China’s involvement in funding candidates during the Canadian elections in 2019 have raised concerns about foreign interference. However, the GAC spokesperson declined to provide further details on whether these issues were raised during the meeting between Joly and Wang. Minister Joly’s approach toward China was characterized as “pragmatic diplomacy,” which she introduced in a speech at an Economic Club of Canada event in Toronto on Oct. 30, 2023. The minister cited former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s engagement with “non-aligned countries,” such as the Soviet Union, as inspiration for her doctrine of pragmatic diplomacy. She advocated using this approach to engage countries that may not share Canada’s worldview or values, as a means to avoid conflict. In a rare public appearance, David Vigneault, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), joined counterparts in the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance in warning of the increasing threats posed by the Chinese communist regime. He emphasized the regime’s pervasive influence, citing instances of intellectual property theft in Canadian academic institutions and the intimidation of the Chinese diaspora. Vigneault underscored the importance of creating frameworks aimed at balancing openness, transparency, and innovation, while safeguarding essential values like freedom, democracy, and protection from interference and coercion.