When Jean Chretien led his Team Canada missions to China to promote trade and improved relations, he raised the issue of of Human Rights in that country with the leadership, then went ahead and signed a number of lucrative business deals. There was no substantive impact on Canada’s policy vis-a-vis human rights, Tibet, or Taiwanese independence.To our URQ friends, this was an appalling betrayal of the suffering Chinese people.
When Paul Martin led his Team Canada missions to China to promote trade and improved relations, he raised the issues of Human Rights in that country with the leadership, then went ahead and signed a number of lucrative business deals. There was no substantive impact on Canada’s policy vis-a-vis human rights, Tibet, or Taiwanese independence.To our URQ friends, this was an appalling betrayal of the suffering Chinese people.
Stephen Harper has led an awkward pas-a-deux with China, stumbling through an informal on-again, off again fifteen-minute meeting at the APEC summit in Hanoi, then another sideline meeting at the G8 in Germany. Like Chretien and Martin, he issued several statements decrying the state of Human Rights in that country. Unlike Chretien or Martin, however, he did nothing to actually make the Chinese government give a damn what Canada thinks.
What we now have is the worst of both worlds. Harper’s confusing China policy has seriously diminished Canadian leverage in calling for changes to Human Rights; meanwhile Canadian business leaders have criticized the “immaturity” of Harper’s China policy, and pointing out that no-one - not the Chinese, not Canadians - benefits from the current approach.
And what substantive changes does Harper’s posturing actually represent? What specific measures are the Conservatives taking to change the face of China, now that they’ve apparently written off the thirty year strategy of constructive engagement?
Well, apparently…nothing.
In a closed door session last week, speaking to Asian ambassadors in Ottawa, Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier last Wednesday, confirmed in unusually clear terms Canada’s support for a “one-China policy.”
“We recognize the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China,” Mr. Bernier said, according to a text of his speech. “This remains the core of our China policy. It guides our bilateral relationship with the PRC. It informs our position on Tibet.”
So Canada, like the US, has decided after all of Harper’s bluster that it’s not actually necessary to do anything REAL to show our “support” for Taiwan and Tibet, beyond a high profile meeting with the Dalai Lama and the odd occasional petulant outburst. We’ll tut-tut, but we’ll continue to trade, continue to ignore Taipei and Tibet, and of course participate in the Olympics.
Plus ca change…
There are those, of course, who seem to think we’re charting the right course. KerPlonka! says
While Saskboy is sympathetic of the athletes and linking The Skinny who has a personal boycott of sponsors on the go.
Dr Roy (who has yet to move my comment from the automatic moderation pen into the light of day) thinks Harper has supported the people of Tibet, and the Chinese appear to have accepted our apology for speaking with the Dalai Lama.
In another example of proof positive that one blog’s terrorist is another blog’s freedom fighter no one should be the least surprised to see the Western Standard calling us to war with a beat that sounds suspiciously like what we generally describe as backing terrorist type activity
As for me, I’m for ramping up the international pressure by not sending a Canadian contingent to the summer Olympics - we’re either for human rights and the right to self-determination, or we’re not. The Olympics have become more of a political event than an international good will amateur sporting showcase anyway so why not use it?