China’s new ambassador to Canada, Wang Di, has arrived in Ottawa amid a diplomatic chill between the two countries.

Wang’s predecessor, Cong Peiwu, returned to China in April following allegations that the Asian powerhouse had interfered in Canada’s elections to tip the scales toward candidates deemed favourable to Beijing.

The foreign interference scandal continues to cause turmoil in Canada, recently amplified by a new, heavily redacted report that alleged some Canadian parliamentarians were “semi-witting or witting” participants in foreign interference.

Canada is also weighing whether it needs to raise tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles after the White House announced major new levies on them. The European Union announced Wednesday it will bring its own levies on Chinese cars to as much as 48 per cent. 

Still, Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly has signaled her pursuit of “pragmatic diplomacy,” and the need to engage with China and some other non-like-minded countries. Her deputy minister, David Morrison, visited China earlier this year.  

Wang was formerly the Chinese ambassador to Kuwait and served as the deputy director of West Asian and North African Affairs in the Chinese foreign ministry.