Prime Minister Mark Carney presents Canada as a dependable accomplice for Southeast Asia, one dedicated to rules-based commerce at a time when US President Donald Trump is rewriting world commerce norms.
He’s heading to the summit of the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations, generally known as ASEAN, looking for to drum up funding in Canada that can assist notice the nation-building plans that shaped a central aspect of the Liberals’ election platform.
In a speech previewing his authorities’s first funds, Carney stated Wednesday that Canada has set a objective of doubling exports to markets exterior the USA over the following decade, about $300 billion in new commerce, as Canada tries to diversify its markets.
About 24 hours after Carney’s speech, Trump abruptly referred to as off commerce talks with Canada, citing his frustration with an Ontario authorities anti-tariff advert marketing campaign aired on American tv networks.
Trump is predicted to attend the ASEAN summit this week, however the Prime Minister’s Workplace stated Friday that he and Carney don’t have a gathering scheduled.
The president informed reporters on the White Home on Friday evening that he had no plans to talk or meet with Carney and referred to as Ontario’s announcement “crooked” and “presumably AI.”
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Wayne Farmer, president of the Canada-ASEAN Enterprise Council, stated the Canadian authorities is changing into extra concerned with companies within the area.
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“I believe ASEAN may be very desperate to do extra with Canada, seeing us as a dependable and steady accomplice that they’ll plan to work with,” he stated in an interview from Singapore on Wednesday.
Senior authorities officers, chatting with reporters Thursday, stated that for many years Canada considered the 10-nation bloc largely as a growth accomplice — however they’re now thought-about more and more essential buying and selling companions.
Carney attends the ASEAN leaders’ summit as a visitor of the president, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The pair are anticipated to carry a bilateral assembly on Monday to speak about inexperienced power and important minerals.
Carney can also be anticipated to fulfill with an oil and fuel firm and Malaysia’s central financial institution earlier than visiting an aerospace facility in the course of the two-day cease within the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Farmer stated the Carney authorities is sending constructive indicators via its main initiatives laws, with plans to speed up approvals of serious initiatives which are thought-about within the nationwide curiosity.
“We’ve made issues extremely sophisticated in Canada to put money into, particularly in massive infrastructure applications,” Farmer stated.
This administration’s change in tone and focus is welcomed, Farmer stated, though “the proof remains to be in our capacity to execute.”
ASEAN nations, which embrace a few of the world’s fastest-growing economies and populations, are centered on enhancing their power and meals safety.
Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of the Asia-Pacific Basis, stated Canada has the experience to assist advance analysis in areas akin to agriculture and the event of fortified grains and legumes.
“The world has modified and everyone seems to be attempting to determine easy methods to diversify and easy methods to cut back vulnerability and the way to make sure their very own financial resilience,” she stated.
Malaysia is already a accomplice within the first part of LNG Canada. LNG 2 is on the checklist of main initiatives for which the Liberal authorities has agreed to hurry up approvals.
Nuclear power is a precedence for a number of nations, together with Vietnam and Malaysia, and an space the place Nadjibulla stated Canada has capabilities and expertise.
Kai Ostwald, director of the Asian Analysis Institute on the College of British Columbia, stated Canada may also discover widespread floor with ASEAN nations in its strategy to safety.
“Canada is similar to most Southeast Asian nations in that it’s not sufficiently big, wealthy sufficient, highly effective sufficient to alter geopolitics, but it surely must navigate the broader collective at any time when attainable,” Ostwald stated at a panel organized by the Asia-Pacific Basis in September.
Canada and ASEAN are working towards a commerce deal that many anticipate to be signed in early 2026. The 2 sides are additionally working to finalize the following part of a five-year motion plan that’s set to run out on the finish of this yr.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Oct. 25, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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