Canada has made a move that’s rattling Western allies: opening its market to Chinese electric vehicles after years of alignment with U.S.-led restrictions. The decision signals a thaw in Canada–China relations — and raises a bigger question: is this the start of a wider fracture in the Western front on China?

What this episode covers
In this week’s Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda break down Canada’s new trade posture through three lenses: tech, geopolitics, and ethics.

• Canada’s tariff rollback on Chinese EVs and how the quota is structured

• China’s tariff cuts on Canadian canola (and what it could mean for other exports)

• The decade-long freeze: Huawei’s Meng Wenzhou, “the Two Michaels,” and the cost of alignment

• Why Chinese EV makers (BYD, NIO, XPeng, Li Auto) entering Canada changes the competitive landscape

• The less-discussed layer: EV software, spyware fears, batteries, and charging infrastructure

• Why this matters beyond cars: the precedent for other Chinese technologies

• The geopolitical ripple effects: U.S. leverage, EU uncertainty, and middle powers building new negotiating options

Why this matters
This isn’t only a trade story. It’s a signal about how middle powers behave when superpower pressure becomes costly.

Canada’s move suggests a pragmatic shift: diversify partners, protect domestic sectors, and expand options — even if it complicates alliances and ethical narratives. The deeper question is whether this is a one-off deal… or the beginning of a new playbook for countries navigating the U.S.–China tug of war.

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📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠