cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5365456
The Globe and Mail column, “Let’s free ourselves of the U.S. and forge closer ties with China”, by Julian Karaguesian and Robin Shaban, reveals a troubling lack of historical awareness and strategic judgment.
Marketed as a call for Canadian economic independence, it amounts to an argument for deeper dependence on an authoritarian regime that uses coercive diplomacy, illicit finance and political interference to erode democratic sovereignty.
Canadians should reject the notion that closer alignment with Beijing strengthens our independence. The opposite is demonstrably true.
The authors praise China’s economic dynamism and technological progress but ignore the context in which these gains were made. They are not the result of fair-market innovation, but of systematic intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and vast state subsidies that distort global competition.
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Proposing deeper technological engagement with a regime known for embedding backdoors in products like Huawei hardware, which Canadian security agencies have flagged as a national security risk, and for weaponizing supply chains is dangerously naïve. This isn’t innovation; it’s strategic infiltration that introduces unacceptable risks into Canada’s economic infrastructure.
Equating Canada’s alliance with the U.S. to strategic subservience misrepresents the nature of cooperation in a rules-based international order.
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Beijing has made clear it does not operate as a predictable or principled partner. Its use of retaliatory diplomacy — such as the politically motivated detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, bans on Canadian agricultural exports and the expansion of United Front influence operations (covert and overt efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to sway public opinion and policy abroad)—demonstrates a pattern of intimidation.
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Replacing that [U.S.] alliance with exposure to a regime that jails dissidents, manipulates international institutions and conducts cyberespionage on Canadian citizens is not diversification. It’s submission.
Canada should not trade the open architecture of the Atlantic alliance for Beijing’s authoritarian opacity. Strategic autonomy cannot be built on intimidation and coercion. We must engage the world, but with eyes open and principles intact.
a regime that jails dissidents, manipulates international institutions and conducts cyberespionage on Canadian citizens
Sounds like they are talking about the USA…
Who we have been submitting to since Diefenbaker.
My thoughts as well. This is literally why Canada is looking for new trade partners.
All of those has been doing by the USA too but we were fine with it we have selective values
This entire article is horseshit and is championing trade with the US over China while every single one of its claims against China can equally be applied to the US, and it ignores the very real and very present threats of force and fascism that is the current US.
Last I checked China hasn’t threatened to invade Canada. China’s trade policy with Canada has been fairly tit-for-tat and China only retaliates economically when Canada gives in to pressure from the US with punitive trade measures towards China.
Better to trade fairly with China despite their problems than the US which demonstrates complete disregard for their allies, their current trade deals, and the rule of law, not to mention their extremely regressive policies on the environment and social freedoms.
China isn’t perfect but no country is and Canada cannot solely trade with democracies in the Europe if it wants to have a viable working economy.
That’s an absurdly weird comment There is no such thing as a ‘fair trade’ with a dictatorship like China that engages in economic coercion, espionage on citizens, transnational repression, election interference, just to name a few examples. China is the exact opposite of the ‘social freedoms’ as you argue. You don’t seem to understand what’s going on in this country and the economy.
Why would anyone write this much nonsense? The literate thinking folk understand this is nothing but American spin, the rest only respond to catchphrases and memes.
Im sure whoever wrote this is somehow still in favor of US trade unless their very real and normal take is that Canada should cease trade with the largest two economies on the planet at the same time. Good for yall if you can manage that but something tells me thats not viable.
I don’t want to cut cold turkey, but I think there’s something behind the idea of USA and China having relatively equal deal preference behind the free nations.
Looks like USA under orange man in my opinion.
They also did it in Europe
As an addition:
Responding to questions about Canada’s pursuit of increased trade with India and China despite Canadian intelligence agencies reporting political interference, European Union Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection Michael McGrath says that ‘where you have evidence’ of foreign interference from a nation looking to do more trade, ‘you have to address it.’ McGrath argues the EU and Canada should be working more closely on online risks: ‘Our democracy is under threat.’