China wants to improve its diplomatic relations with Canada.
However, it is unclear whether Ottawa will listen to the Chinese ode. Some experts, however, believe there are practical reasons to improve cooperation between the two countries.
Chinese Ambassador Cong Peiwu says that to achieve this, the Canadian government will have to stop wanting to focus on disagreements.
This year has already marked a resumption of high-level negotiations.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly had a long call with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in January, followed by a meeting in Germany in February. They had only a brief conversation in 2023.
At both meetings, China outlined its demands for better relations, including Canada’s acceptance of responsibility for diplomatic tensions — as Mr. Cong said, “the responsibility does not lie with China.” .
Beijing also wants “mutual respect,” which would mean not recognizing Taiwan’s independence, and “win-win cooperation,” which means fewer trade and scientific restrictions.
According to Jeremy Paltiel, a professor at Carleton University, currently Canada’s worst relationship is with China.
“The Chinese say, ‘You’re not offering anything, so why should we play along?’ If you come just to criticize, then we are not interested,’” he said.
Mr. Paltiel said it would be difficult for Ottawa to find an issue to work on together that would not irritate the Canadian public or the U.S. government. Both increasingly view scientific research through a security or intellectual property lens, he said.
Still, Beijing’s priorities could be leveraged into something useful for Canada, he suggested.
A form of “win-win cooperation” could be agreeing to export small quantities of liquefied natural gas. Both countries could characterize such a move as focused on reducing global carbon emissions by offering China another alternative to coal.
Other countries have found ways to cooperate without giving up their values, Mr. Paltiel argued.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last fall became the first leader of his country to visit Beijing in seven years.
His government has convinced China to drop trade restrictions, Mr. Paltiel noted, even as it continues to raise human rights issues with Beijing and work with the United States on nuclear submarines.
Around the same time, Mme Joly pledged to undertake “pragmatic diplomacy” and engage more with states with which Canada has deep disagreements.
His office said this approach was demonstrated by his March visit to Saudi Arabia.
Mme Joly did not indicate whether a visit to China was on the horizon.
The obstacle of public opinion
The Canada-China Business Council says the Canadian industry is losing ground to U.S., Australian and European competitors, who are taking away Canada’s market share in China for products such as pet food.
A survey of 143 Canadian companies last fall found that “public and business sentiment toward China remains a huge barrier.”
Some 58% said the risk of China arbitrarily detaining staff still negatively affected their business, more than five years after China arrested Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor following the Vancouver detention of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei executive.
That’s down from 70% who reported the problem in 2021.
Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of research at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Mr. Kovrig’s main advocate during his detention, said China had adopted a more assertive posture on the world stage at the time of the arrest of the two Michael, which forced Washington to reconsider its position.
The United States has limited its engagement on human rights and trade issues. China’s growing trade with Russia, despite the invasion of Ukraine and Beijing’s use of reconnaissance balloons, proved a further provocation in the years that followed.
But in mid-2023, the Biden administration undertook high-level meetings with its Chinese counterparts in hopes of getting relations back on track, a trend replicated by its European and Australian allies.
It’s OK if Canada doesn’t act aggressively to do the same, said Mr.me Nadjibulla.
She noted that despite cooling relations and lingering irritants – such as Canada’s concerns over alleged interference in the recent federal election – Canada’s bilateral trade with China has actually grown in recent years.
“We have to get out of this pattern where we have to curry favor with China in order to have a functional relationship,” she said. The state of our relations with China is what it should be, and they are evolving in the direction of being more functional to serve our interests. »
There needs to be a certain engagement with China, said Mr.me Nadjibulla, on security in the Indo-Pacific region and transnational issues such as stopping the flow of fentanyl.
She argued that Ottawa should denounce Chinese actions in the South China Sea that undermine the Philippines’ international borders and continue to support Taiwan.
China views democracy as a breakaway region that should be brought under Beijing’s authority, and Cong said Ottawa was breaking a long-standing policy of not intervening in China’s stance on from Taiwan.
Mme Nadjibulla called 2023 a “landmark year for Canada-Taiwan relations” with a series of agreements signed on issues ranging from public health to investment.
She said Canada’s presidency this year of a Pacific region trade bloc could lead Ottawa to help Taiwan enter that group.
“I hope that as we stabilize our relationship with [Pékin]we will not lose sight of the fact that we must continue to deepen our engagement with Taiwan and that we do not let any form of pressure or self-censorship come into the equation,” she added.
Liberal MP John McKay argued that Canada should go even further.
“Our nation has often failed to take a strong stance on this issue, opting instead for a cautious approach of not offending the Chinese government,” he said at a conference last month hosted by the Institute for peace and diplomacy.
“This reluctance to fully embrace Taiwan’s aspirations not only undermines our own values, but sends the message that we are willing to compromise on principles in the name of economic interests. »
The federal posture has not stopped Beijing from flirting with other levels of government as it seeks to rebuild relations in Canada.
China’s consul general in Montreal, Yuming Dai, said Quebec Premier François Legault would always be welcome in Beijing.
“China’s door always remains open,” he wrote in an email to The Canadian Press.