Trump likes Canada’s Chinese EV deal, Carney says after chat caught on hot mic

US President Donald Trump is happy with Canada’s arrangement to allow a capped number of Chinese electric vehicles to be imported at a low-tariff rate, Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

When asked about Carney’s comment, Trump did not express explicit approval, but said he could understand the quota.

The deal, unveiled during Carney’s trip to Beijing in January, allows as many as 49,000 Chinese EVs in a 12-month period at a tariff rate of around 6 per cent, with that quota to climb gradually over time. Before this year, Canada had a tariff of more than 100 per cent on those vehicles.

“He likes the structure, actually,” Carney told reporters at the Group of Seven leaders summit in Evian, France, on Wednesday. “We had a follow-up conversation.”

A hot mic captured Carney talking to Trump on Tuesday about the China deal and explaining how it capped the number of imported cars. “I thought you’d actually like that,” Carney was heard saying. Trump appeared to agree, saying “that’s good”.

Asked on Wednesday about the interaction, Carney said the topic came up because Trump inquired about it.