Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Not exactly. In a January 16, 2026 joint statement, Canada and China committed to strengthen law-enforcement cooperation against corruption and transnational crimes, including telecommunication and cyber fraud. The statement does not say they agreed to fight corporate hacking, cyber espionage, or intellectual-property theft.

What does the Canada–China commitment cover?

The joint statement says: “The two sides committed to strengthening law enforcement cooperation to combat corruption and transnational crimes, including telecommunication and cyber fraud and illegal synthetic drugs in accordance with their respective laws.” The January 16, 2026 statement places cyber fraud within a broader law-enforcement commitment and makes cooperation subject to each country’s laws.

It does not describe a new cybersecurity treaty, joint cyber-defence program, or technical arrangement. The public text provides no timetable, enforcement process, or detailed operational mechanism for the cyber-fraud cooperation.

Does it cover corporate hacking or espionage?

Those terms and subjects are not specified in the statement. “Cyber fraud” may involve digital systems, but the published commitment does not define the term or extend it expressly to corporate espionage, state-backed hacking, or intellectual-property theft. It would therefore be inaccurate to say the countries agreed to jointly combat those activities on the basis of this statement alone.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Why does the distinction matter?

Canada’s cybersecurity concerns are broader than the stated cooperation commitment. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025–2026 describes the PRC cyber program as the most comprehensive cybersecurity threat facing Canada and says its operations can pursue political and commercial objectives, including espionage and intellectual-property theft. That is the Canadian government’s assessment, not a finding accepted by both governments.

China’s position differs. In a June 30, 2026 statement, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canada said: “As one of the major victims of cyberattacks, China resolutely opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law.” The embassy rejected Canada’s allegations as politicized or groundless. This is China’s official response; it does not resolve the disagreement over attribution.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What precedent has Canada cited?

In a July 19, 2021 statement, Canada attributed exploitation of Microsoft Exchange servers to PRC state-backed actors and said it was confident the PRC Ministry of State Security was responsible. The government said the activity put “several thousand Canadian entities” at risk and estimated that 400,000 servers worldwide had been affected. Those are historical figures and estimates reported by Canada at the time, not current counts or independently established figures here. Global Affairs Canada’s 2021 statement records that attribution and estimate.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.