After nearly a decade, the Canadian Prime Minister visits China
Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, will depart for China on February 2nd to discuss trade and security issues. This is at a time when Canada is facing uncertain relations with the U.S. because of a trade conflict and threats by President Donald Trump regarding annexation.
The visit is the first by a Canadian Prime Minister to 'Beijing since 2017. It could be a turning point in the relationship between Canada and China as Canada looks for 'new?trade partnerships and security alliances.
Carney accepted to visit China in October last year when he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. The encounter was not a breakthrough, but it did suggest the possibility of deeper ties following a fractious relationship between Canada and China under Justin Trudeau. This had soured when Canada arrested Huawei's chief financial officer in 2018.
Experts expect that this time some deals will be made, or at least future promises. Senior Canadian officials confirmed that Carney would be signing a number memoranda still in discussion.
Greg MacEachern said that he expected more than just symbolic results from the trip.
He added that the visit would be closely monitored by Washington.
"There is a risk that this will upset President Trump but Prime Minister Carney wants to send a message that Canada is open for businesses. The Canadian government decided that it was worth it.
CRUDE, CANOLA IN CENTRAL FOCUS
According to a source familiar with the talks, deals could include increased exports of Canadian crude oil to China.
Canada exports 90% of its crude oil to the United States, but an increase in U.S. imports from Venezuela may reduce U.S. demand.
Senior Canadian officials stated that they did not expect a complete elimination of Chinese tariffs for canola during the visit.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China is looking forward to deepening the mutual trust between China and Canada during its visit from January 14-17.
Lynette Ong is a professor of Chinese politics at the University of Toronto. She said that both Canada and China wanted to show their good intentions.
China announced preliminary antidumping duties on Canadian Canola Imports in August. This escalated a year long trade dispute which began when Ottawa imposed tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicle imports one year prior. Tariffs on canola have almost eliminated all exports of canola to China, the largest export market for Canadian Canola.
Ong stated that the EV tariff had been introduced under the administration of the former U.S. president Joe Biden, and that the recent rupture of Canada's relationship to the U.S. rendered it unnecessary because Ottawa was less concerned about aligning itself with Washington. China is Canada's largest trading partner, after the U.S.
Doug Ford, Ontario's premier and Canada's largest province, which is also the auto hub, asked Carney to not "back down," stating that EV tariffs would only be lifted once China opened a factory in Ontario.
Colin Hornby, the head of Manitoba's Keystone Agricultural Producers farm group, said he didn't expect to reach an agreement on the canola tariffs in his trip, but remained optimistic that something would happen within the next few weeks or months.
Concerns about National Security, Human Rights
Vina Nadjibulla is the vice-president of Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. She warned that more cooperation with China could compromise Canadian security in areas like AI and minerals.
She said, "There are red lines that must not be crossed."
Canada has expressed concerns in the past about human rights violations occurring in China. These include the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy journalist, and the secret executions of four Canadians last year in China.
Cheuk Kwan said that he hoped Canada "would not fall into the trap" of appeasing China to obtain bilateral trade agreements.
To avoid any confusion, two Canadian MPs said that they were ending their trip to Taiwan, a democratically-governed territory which China claims to be its own, this week, before Carney's China visit.
Joseph Torigian of American University, an expert on Chinese politics, said that China's plan to welcome Carney in Beijing's Great Hall of the People - arguably the largest government building in the country - may be part of "a charm offensive".
Torigian said that China may be trying to improve its international reputation following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro by the United States earlier this month.
Torigian stated that the Chinese could make a point during bilateral meetings to Canada of how unreliable and dangerous the U.S. was as a partner. "China is willing to assist Canada in expanding its trade relations outside of its hemisphere, if Canada is willing to play along." (Reporting and editing by Caroline Stauffer, Nia Williams and Caroline Stauffer; Additional reporting by WaLone and DivyaRajagopal in Toronto as well as Ed White in Winnipeg.
(source: Reuters)
