A worker assembles a new energy vehicle at the workshop of Chinese Automaker Chery in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 8, 2026. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua)

Chinese automaker Chery is weighing local production in Canada ahead of its market launch there next year, Bloomberg reported, citing the group's executive vice president, the latest sign of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers' rising competitiveness abroad. As US pressure mounts, Canada is turning to partners including China, and with no discriminatory trade terms on either side, World Trade Organization-compliant commerce and healthy political ties, both countries should seize the moment to deepen economic cooperation, Chinese experts said.

Chery Automobile Co is considering establishing local manufacturing in Canada, building on the launch of sales in that market in 2027, Bloomberg reported. The carmaker is assessing idle capacity and speaking to investors in Canada who are interested in Chinese automakers, Zhang Guibing, executive vice president of Chery, said in an interview at Chery's headquarters in Wuhu, East China's Anhui Province, without identifying any companies, according to the report.

The company didn't immediately respond when reached by the Global Times on Sunday seeking comment.

Chery is far from alone in betting on Canada's evolving vehicle landscape. Other Chinese automakers, including Geely and Lotus, are accelerating their push into Canada, aiming to turn what was until recently one of the most protected auto markets in the world into a fresh frontier for bilateral economic cooperation.

After Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China at the beginning of the year, bilateral cooperation in areas such as EVs has made progress. The Canadian government announced in January that it would allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs annually to enter Canada at the most-favored-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent, exempting them from the 100-percent surtax.

Lotus' first batch of 18 Eletre EVs arrived in Canada in June. According to a statement the company sent to the Global Times, Lotus was the first Chinese auto brand to complete certification and ship vehicles to Canada after the country reduced tariffs on Chinese-made EVs on March 1, 2026.

On October 9, Geely Auto officially announced its entry into the Canadian market. "With a Canadian team now in place, Geely Auto is establishing local operations and developing a retail and service network ahead of introducing its first vehicles to Canadian consumers in 2027," the company said in a statement sent to the Global Times.

The push by Chinese auto brands into overseas markets including Canada reflects the competitiveness of China's EVs - which, due to their cost advantages, technological prowess and intelligent features, are reshaping the global automotive landscape, He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Sunday.

This year, persistent tensions in the Middle East have driven international energy prices sharply higher, and global demand for new-energy vehicles has grown explosively. Backed by a complete industrial chain and rapid delivery capabilities, Chinese EVs are becoming a key force in stabilizing global supply chains.

Canadian public opinion also favors win-win cooperation with China. According to a survey, China is becoming an increasingly important market as Canada seeks to diversify its export destinations. An improved bilateral trade structure and closer economic and trade cooperation could support sustained growth in bilateral trade, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

After serving as guest country of honor at the China International Consumer Products Expo in April, Canada will return as a guest country of honor at the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in November, its first appearance in that role at the CIIE in eight years.

"Amid US pressure, Canada is actively seeking to deepen cooperation with trading partners including China. The economies of Canada and China are highly complementary. Bilateral political relations, meanwhile, are on a sound footing. The two sides should seize this window of opportunity to further deepen economic and trade cooperation - the prospects are vast," He Weiwen said.