On the anniversary of the detention of two Canadians by Chinese authorities, Canada’s new foreign minister is under pressure to define the country’s relations with a more assertive Beijing.

With Chinese authorities now signalling that the cases of two Canadians held in China for the past year may move to trial on national security charges, calls are mounting for François-Philippe Champagne to take a firmer stance on Sino-Canadian relations.

He has said a new “framework” for relations is necessary following his appointment last month, but has yet to explain what that would entail — further frustrating critics who feel the Trudeau government has failed to articulate a coherent China strategy since taking power in 2015.