Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China and Canada "are not rivals, let alone enemies" in talks with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, as the two countries sought to repair strained ties.

According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry, Wang told Joly that the "current difficult situation... is not what China wants to see".

"The two sides are not rivals, let alone enemies, and should become cooperative partners," he said.

Wang urged Ottawa to establish a "correct understanding" of China and "stop hyping the 'China threat theory' and stop spreading false information about so-called China interference in domestic affairs".

Canada said the two foreign ministers also discussed other global issues such as Ukraine and the Middle East.

Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have been tense in recent years after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver in 2018 and the detention of two Canadians by China on espionage charges.

Canada last year launched a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in its electoral and democratic institutions. China has denied involvement. (Agencies)