Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks on October 2, 2025 in Ottawa. Photo：VCG

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday many of Canada's former strengths based on close ties to the US have become vulnerabilities, setting a goal for Canada to double its non-US exports in the next decade, AP reported.

Carney reiterated in an evening address to Canadians that the decades-long process of an ever-closer economic relationship between the Canadian and US economies is now over, according to the report.

Carney said "We are re-engaging with the global giants India and China." 

He set a goal for Canada to double its non-US exports in the next decade, saying American tariffs are causing a chill in investment. The AP report said now more than 75 percent of Canada's exports go to the US.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday that in the past, Canadian elites naturally assumed that the US, as an ally, was reliable. Canada has come to realize that over-reliance on the US not only poses security threats but also economic threats to Canada. This conclusion is drawn from painful reflection and hard lessons learned, Li said.

Tensions between the neighbors have eased slightly in recent months as Carney seeks to reach a trade deal with Trump, but tariffs are taking a toll, particularly in the aluminum, steel, auto and lumber sectors, AP said.

Li believes that Canada's current approach can be viewed as a necessary move to face reality, better safeguard its independence, and develop its own strategic autonomy.

Earlier on October 17, Carney announced that he will travel to Malaysia, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea, from October 24 to November 1, 2025, to deepen trade relationships in the region, shore up defense partnerships, and unlock new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses, a statement from office of the prime minister.

He will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea.