On August 25, the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy (IPD) hosted a panel discussion titled “Impasse or Turning Point? Canada-China Relations at a Crossroads”. The virtual panel was held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EST) and can be watched on our YouTube channel.
In this panel hosted by IPD, speakers will explore the status of the Canada-China relationship and its future direction. With federal elections holding the potential for a different tack towards Beijing, the panel will examine bilateral ties in light of the developments in the detention of Canadian citizens, the Meng Wanzhou affair, and the spillover effects from US-China competition on Canadian policy.
Relations between Ottawa and Beijing have remained at a standstill since 2018. A resolution has yet to be found for the two Michaels and Canada has yet to articulate a clear plan in its broader China policy. Ottawa has frequently joined hands with its trans-Atlantic partners to voice concerns, demands, and initiatives vis-a-vis China, from cyberhacking condemnations to G7 promises on infrastructure. How will Canada craft its own strategy under the backdrop of great power politics? How do policy choices in Washington influence or limit Canada’s discretion towards Beijing? To what degree will Canada be able to thread the needle of its China policy and its wider engagement with Asia?
Panelists will discuss these dimensions of the Canada-China relationship and their implications for a newly-elected government. This panel will identify the contours of Canada’s future diplomacy and how it may seek to advance its interests in relation to the PRC. Speakers will also evaluate the prospects for bilateral ties and how they may be steered from Ottawa and Beijing.
Panelists
Margaret Cornish: Honourary Research Fellow, Institute of Asian Research, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at UBC. Former Canadian foreign service officer. She is working on projects that will deepen the understanding of Canadians with respect to China especially with respect to our trade and investment relationship.
Professor Daniel Bell: Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University and professor at Tsinghua University (Schwarzman College and Department of Philosophy).
Richard Kurland: Lawyer, Editor-in-Chief of Lexbase, Former Special Advisor to the Office of the Auditor General of Canada on International Affairs and Immigration.
Moderator
Dr. Wenran Jiang: Advisor, Institute for Peace & Diplomacy, Asia Program; President of Canada-China Energy and Environment Forum.