China suspending some agricultural tariffs on Canada starting March 1

China said on Friday it would suspend some tariffs on Canadian agricultural products imposed during a trade spat between Beijing and Ottawa, after Canadian Prime Minister Mark ‌Carney struck an initial deal with China during a visit in January.

China will suspend 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian canola meal and pea imports and will halt 25 per cent tariffs on lobster and crab imports ​from March 1 through the end of 2026, ​the finance ministry said in a statement.

The outcome broadly aligns with Carney’s expectations. But the Chinese announcement made no mention of canola ​seed tariffs, which Carney had previously said would be lowered by ⁠March 1.

Ottawa expected ⁠Beijing to lower canola seed tariffs ‌to a combined rate of about 15 per cent from the current 84 per cent. A probe into Canadian canola is set to conclude on March 9, the Chinese  commerce ministry has said.

“One thing we do know is that ⁠Chinese buyers have been booking Canadian canola cargoes for March already. That gives me a pretty high degree of confidence that they’re going to follow  through on the reduced ‌tariff rate,” said Even Rogers Pay, director at Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China.

Canola oil and pork were also not mentioned in the statement. But Beijing could still announce further adjustments by the March 1 deadline previewed by ​Carney.

China was Canada’s second-largest market for canola in 2024.

The suspensions come amid a wave of visits ⁠to Beijing by Western leaders as U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies have strained ⁠Washington’s traditional alliances. China has sought to present itself as a more stable ⁠and ⁠reliable economic partner in contrast.

Carney went ​further than his European counterparts by securing a deal with China and signalling Canada’s ​ambition to play a ⁠leading role in a new global trade order aimed at reducing dependence on the United States.

During his China trip, Carney pledged to allow into Canada up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles at a tariff of 6.1 per cent on most-favored-nation terms.