Paywall: https://archive.md/ULxXZ
China says it’s willing to deepen economic relations with Canada as this country’s trading relationship with the United States hits a rough patch.
The People’s Republic of China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner after the U.S. and, in 2017, Ottawa came close to starting talks with Beijing on a trade agreement.
In 2019, China restricted imports of several Canadian products, including canola seed, in apparent retaliation for Ottawa arresting a Chinese tech executive. The value of the economic fallout – billions in lost sales – pales in comparison to the threat U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has made to Canada, vowing 25-per-cent tariffs on all Canadian goods when he takes office. Canadian exports to the U.S. in 2023 exceeded $592-billion.
The US behaving poorly in no way erases China’s history of bad behaviour on the International stage, and specifically towards Canada.
Trump is acting now how China acts always. China only does something when its in their best interests first and foremost.
China hasn’t threatened to take them over. Industrial, economic and military spying is so common on both side that it’s nearly a non-issue. Sure, they’ve been heavy handed, and the secret police thing is bs, but what have we done to try and stop it?
No better time to start than the present, right?