Experts voice opinion on current Canada-China relations.

The current atmosphere of tension shared between Canada and the People’s Republic of China have caused concern to some experts. 

Sino-Canadian relations were strained in December 2018 when Canada extradited Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese national and chief financial officer of Chinese-based telecom giant Huawei, to the United States. Tensions further worsened when ex-Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian consultant Michael Spavor were detained by Chinese authorities. 

Aggressions were again exacerbated when China’s ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu made a statement which was interpreted as a threat to Canadians in Hong Kong by some in the Canadian government. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will continue to defend human rights in China. 

Colin Robertson, an ex-Canadian consul in Hong Kong, said China could retaliate against Canada in an economic manner. 

“In the immediate aftermath of seizing the two Michaels, the Chinese put an embargo on Canadian meat products,” said Robertson. “Their argument was that Canadian meat was slightly diseased. However, the Canadian Food Agency was convinced that was not the case.” 

China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner with the latter bearing a major trade imbalance. In 2019, Canada imported $51.8 billion more from China than the value of its exports to that country, according to the website Statista.  

Andrew Ritcher, an associate professor of political science at the University of Windsor and a researcher of Canadian defense and foreign policy, said the Canadian government should take a more aggressive stance towards China. 

“It’s a tough question. That’s something the government has struggled with for the last couple of years. Besides the economic issues, I believe their primary concern is the welfare of the two Michaels,” said Ritcher. “If China wasn’t arbitrarily detaining Canadians, then I absolutely think that the Canadian government should take a more aggressive stance towards China.” 

Jamey Essex is also a professor of political science at the University of Windsor. Being a researcher of political geography and geopolitics, he said economic penalties would probably hurt Canada more than it would China. 

“Canada has a large and developed economy but we’re relatively smaller than some of our trading partners,” said Essex. “Canada can’t take such decisions on its own. It’s part of a large western alliance.” 

Despite strained relations, Canada and China continue to maintain diplomatic ties.