Carney Cozies Up to China
Over the past few days, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been in China in an open attempt to pivot to China and spurn Canada’s relationship with the United States. In a jubilant press release on Friday, the prime minister’s office declared that Carney is “forg[ing] [a] new strategic partnership with the People’s Republic of China.” The government went on to repeatedly tout this “new strategic partnership,” framing the relationship as entirely overhauled.
Further, Carney announced that Canada is dropping tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles from 100 percent to 6.1 percent, opening the door to importing cheap Chinese cars (heavily subsidized by the communist government) that promise to sink the Canadian car industry. That decision signals a major break from Canada’s previously united stance with the U.S. against such vehicles.
The reset is quite dramatic. Chinese–Canadian relations had been tense for years, owing to Chinese meddling in Canadian elections, secret Chinese police stations inside Canada that surveilled Chinese-Canadians, violations of Canadian sovereignty by way of Chinese ghost ships in arctic waters, the detainment under false premises of two Canadian citizens in retaliation to Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou — deemed the “two Michaels” affair, and retaliatory Chinese tariffs on Canadian agricultural goods, particularly on canola seeds.
Carney further said in his press conference Thursday that the “progress” China and Canada have made in their relationship “sets us up well for the new world order.”
Yet Carney seems ready to brush that all away and start fresh. He said that Canada’s relationship with China is “more predictable” than its relationship with the United States and that “you see results coming from that.” Carney further said in his press conference Thursday that the “progress” China and Canada have made in their relationship “sets us up well for the new world order.” (RELATED: Canadians Fear US Invasion After Maduro Seizure)
Carney even seemed to bow to Chinese dictator Xi Jinping’s demand that Canada treat China with “respect,” which is clearly asking Canada to avoid speaking out against China’s dismal human rights record, including its mass detention, indoctrination of, and sterilization of Uyghurs; decades of forced abortions; suppression of freedom of speech; crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong; religious persecution and control; and detainment of democracy activists.
Two Canadian lawmakers even departed early from diplomatic trips to Taiwan due to Carney’s desire to avoid offending the Chinese dictator.
Carney went on and on praising Xi and China. “We’re heartened by the leadership of President Xi Jinping and the speed with which our relationship has progressed,” he told Zhao Leji, the third-highest-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party, according to Reuters. The news outlet further reported that Carney told the second-highest-ranking member of the CCP, Li Qiang, that Canada and China are “together” bringing their relationship “back toward where it should be.” In his press release, Carney said that Canada and China “will deepen our engagement on improved global governance,” indicating a willingness to engage China in shaping international institutions. (RELATED: The Myth of the ‘Liberal International Order’)
No doubt, Chinese officials are quite pleased that Canada is moving closer into their orbit and further away from the United States. They will be benefiting quite significantly from Carney’s decision to allow Chinese electric vehicles to be imported from China. Moreover, the concession they gave in exchange for this did not compare in value or significance. They agreed to lower tariffs on canola seeds from 85 percent to 15 percent. China had raised the tariff on those seeds in retaliation for Canada’s arrest of Meng Wanzhou and her extradition to the U.S. That means Canada gave a huge concession to China’s government that will harm its own economy, especially the economy in Ontario, and received only the end of a sanction made because of a lawful arrest of a woman who was years ago released back to China.
Many in China are not happy that Carney’s agreements with China hurt Canadian automakers. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been outspoken and harsh in his criticism of Carney’s rollback of tariffs.
“The federal government is inviting a flood of cheap made-in-China electric vehicles without any real guarantee of equal or immediate investments in Canada’s economy, auto sector or supply chain,” he said.
Ford warned that Carney’s decision will likely harm Canada’s relationship with the United States. “Worse, by lowering tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles this lopsided deal risks closing the door on Canadian automakers to the American market, our largest export destination, which would hurt our economy and lead to job losses,” he said.
Ford said that Carney did not speak to him or Canadian carmakers before proceeding with revoking tariffs on Chinese vehicles.
Carney is motivated by his belief that Trump is making the U.S. into an authoritarian threat that must be combatted by expanding Canada’s international ties and trading partnerships with other countries.
But perhaps he also is incentivized by his long-term obsession with combatting climate change, which makes China’s offer of cheap electric vehicles sound irresistible. Carney’s office said that “central” to the “new partnership” between Canada and China is “an agreement to collaborate in energy, clean technology, and climate competitiveness.” His office further said that both countries are focused on “reducing emissions and scaling up investments in batteries, solar, wind, and energy storage.” (RELATED: Mark Carney’s Pseudo-Faith-Based War on CO2)
Sure, Trump has been aggressive toward Canada by imposing tariffs on Canadian imports and making half-playful threats to make Canada America’s 51st state, but that doesn’t mean it’s time for Canada to cozy up to an authoritarian nation with terrible human rights abuses.
Last year, Taiwan’s ambassador to Canada, Harry Tseng, attempted to warn Canada against falling into this trap of turning to China instead of the U.S. He argued that China wants to increase trade with Canada as part of its plot to grow its global influence. China, he said, is unpredictable and “not an ally.”
“You’re unhappy with the U.S., I understand that,” Tseng said. “But … you and the United States have been helping each other be prosperous in the past decades.”
Trump signaled Friday he was unbothered by Canada’s dealings with China.
“That’s OK,” Trump said when asked about the two countries’ trade deal. “That’s what he should be doing. I mean, it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that.”
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