A Canadian think tank says values shouldn't solely dictate how Canada relates to China and economic interests should also be kept in viewChina Brief: China, the Indo-Pacific and Canada’s West was released February 2 2024 by the Canada West Foundation (CWF). Their stated goal was to seek principles and advice for getting Canada’s relationship with China and the Indo-Pacific on the right track and to support western Canadians."A common thread running through commentaries and conversations here is that Canada needs to better pursue its interests abroad, as opposed to a singular focus on being driven by values," said Jeff Mahon, Executive in Residence at CWF."‘Values’ are principles that guide actions, whereas ‘interests’ are objects of common concern. These need not be in direct conflict."Mahon suggested provinces and the federal government have to be on the same page and articulate their vision clearly."The government’s 'Four C’s' approach to China (which recognizes there are domains for competition, challenge, cooperation and coexistence) is meant to capture the nuance," he explained."While pointing in the right direction, however, these vectors lack magnitude. What could be improved is greater articulation of specific objectives the government seeks to achieve and more importantly, how they are being prioritized and supported."The think tank acknowledged "2023 was not a good year for Canada’s relationship with China or India" and sought "thought leaders" to pursue a path forward.Senator Yuen Pau Woo suggested Canada should soften its language regarding the People's Republic of China as it considers its Indo-Pacific Strategy."By describing the PRC as a 'disruptive' power in its IPS, Canada has come out more strongly against China than countries that are geographically much closer to China. Ottawa has thus created for itself an unnecessary hurdle that impedes the beneficial recalibration of bilateral relations that have been at a low point for at least three years," Woo said."While western peer group countries like the US and Australia have restored some high-level contacts with Beijing, Canada has had only one minister visit China in recent years, a visit that was widely criticized by opposition politicians and the media."Vina Nadijibulla, vice-president, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, also complained that Ottawa has been avoiding China until recently."High-level meetings in 2023 between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his counterparts in Australia, the EU and the U.S. helped to stabilize those relationships, even as tensions persisted. Canada, however, was an outlier," she wrote.Last September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed that he saw 'no room for rapprochement' with China. But in November, Trudeau softened his message at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco, saying it was possible for the two sides to have “constructive dialogue”.Foreign Minister Melanie Joly had a phone call on January 11 with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Afterwards, the two had contrasting views." Joly’s office noted that the two sides exchanged views on global hotspots and the importance of collaborating on issues such as climate change. The Chinese side, meanwhile, laid out a set of pre-conditions for improving ties, one of which was that Canada have the “correct cognition,” indicating that Ottawa should accept responsibility for the diplomatic chill in the relationship," she said."While it is in Canada’s interests to manage the relationship with China constructively and engage in dialogue at the highest level, we must do so in line with our national interests and without surrendering to Beijing’s pre-conditions."China’s share in the global economy continues to climb to nearly 19% in 2023, while contributing to approximately 30% of the global economic growth. The country is also Canada's second-largest trading partner.Jia Wang, deputy director, China Institute, University of Alberta, said Western Canada wins when China does."A robust Chinese economy is good news for Western Canada. From canola and pork in the Prairies to wine and seafood in British Columbia, Chinese middle-class consumers value quality Canadian products and offer premium pricing for Canadian producers," she wrote."Western Canada’s rich mineral deposits also fuel China’s economy especially in the renewable and EV industries which is destined to expand exponentially. If the restrictions on flights and group tours are lifted, BC, Alberta and the Northwest Territories stand to benefit from an influx of high-spending Chinese tourists."David Detomasi, adjunct associate professor and Distinguished Faculty Fellow of International Business, Smith School of Business, said Canada could win even more if it could get more hydrocarbons China's way."Canada’s prolific basins are producing at an increasing rate and getting them to offshore markets represents a sustained, multibillion-dollar, multi-decade opportunity. Repeated studies have found that an LNG export industry equivalent to 30 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) in BC would inject about $7.4 billion into the Canadian economy over 30 years, along with supporting 65,000 jobs," Detomasi explained."The key, of course is building more LNG facilities, which will not only increase our exports but will demonstrate to the world that Canada can actually get things done, which would reassure foreign investors and partners."
A Canadian think tank says values shouldn't solely dictate how Canada relates to China and economic interests should also be kept in viewChina Brief: China, the Indo-Pacific and Canada’s West was released February 2 2024 by the Canada West Foundation (CWF). Their stated goal was to seek principles and advice for getting Canada’s relationship with China and the Indo-Pacific on the right track and to support western Canadians."A common thread running through commentaries and conversations here is that Canada needs to better pursue its interests abroad, as opposed to a singular focus on being driven by values," said Jeff Mahon, Executive in Residence at CWF."‘Values’ are principles that guide actions, whereas ‘interests’ are objects of common concern. These need not be in direct conflict."Mahon suggested provinces and the federal government have to be on the same page and articulate their vision clearly."The government’s 'Four C’s' approach to China (which recognizes there are domains for competition, challenge, cooperation and coexistence) is meant to capture the nuance," he explained."While pointing in the right direction, however, these vectors lack magnitude. What could be improved is greater articulation of specific objectives the government seeks to achieve and more importantly, how they are being prioritized and supported."The think tank acknowledged "2023 was not a good year for Canada’s relationship with China or India" and sought "thought leaders" to pursue a path forward.Senator Yuen Pau Woo suggested Canada should soften its language regarding the People's Republic of China as it considers its Indo-Pacific Strategy."By describing the PRC as a 'disruptive' power in its IPS, Canada has come out more strongly against China than countries that are geographically much closer to China. Ottawa has thus created for itself an unnecessary hurdle that impedes the beneficial recalibration of bilateral relations that have been at a low point for at least three years," Woo said."While western peer group countries like the US and Australia have restored some high-level contacts with Beijing, Canada has had only one minister visit China in recent years, a visit that was widely criticized by opposition politicians and the media."Vina Nadijibulla, vice-president, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, also complained that Ottawa has been avoiding China until recently."High-level meetings in 2023 between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his counterparts in Australia, the EU and the U.S. helped to stabilize those relationships, even as tensions persisted. Canada, however, was an outlier," she wrote.Last September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed that he saw 'no room for rapprochement' with China. But in November, Trudeau softened his message at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco, saying it was possible for the two sides to have “constructive dialogue”.Foreign Minister Melanie Joly had a phone call on January 11 with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Afterwards, the two had contrasting views." Joly’s office noted that the two sides exchanged views on global hotspots and the importance of collaborating on issues such as climate change. The Chinese side, meanwhile, laid out a set of pre-conditions for improving ties, one of which was that Canada have the “correct cognition,” indicating that Ottawa should accept responsibility for the diplomatic chill in the relationship," she said."While it is in Canada’s interests to manage the relationship with China constructively and engage in dialogue at the highest level, we must do so in line with our national interests and without surrendering to Beijing’s pre-conditions."China’s share in the global economy continues to climb to nearly 19% in 2023, while contributing to approximately 30% of the global economic growth. The country is also Canada's second-largest trading partner.Jia Wang, deputy director, China Institute, University of Alberta, said Western Canada wins when China does."A robust Chinese economy is good news for Western Canada. From canola and pork in the Prairies to wine and seafood in British Columbia, Chinese middle-class consumers value quality Canadian products and offer premium pricing for Canadian producers," she wrote."Western Canada’s rich mineral deposits also fuel China’s economy especially in the renewable and EV industries which is destined to expand exponentially. If the restrictions on flights and group tours are lifted, BC, Alberta and the Northwest Territories stand to benefit from an influx of high-spending Chinese tourists."David Detomasi, adjunct associate professor and Distinguished Faculty Fellow of International Business, Smith School of Business, said Canada could win even more if it could get more hydrocarbons China's way."Canada’s prolific basins are producing at an increasing rate and getting them to offshore markets represents a sustained, multibillion-dollar, multi-decade opportunity. Repeated studies have found that an LNG export industry equivalent to 30 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) in BC would inject about $7.4 billion into the Canadian economy over 30 years, along with supporting 65,000 jobs," Detomasi explained."The key, of course is building more LNG facilities, which will not only increase our exports but will demonstrate to the world that Canada can actually get things done, which would reassure foreign investors and partners."
