Publisher Mike ByrantSA国际影视传媒檚 Yellowknifer editorial on March 18 urges Canadians SA国际影视传媒渢o be more confident in our dealings with China.SA国际影视传媒�
Buoyed by enthusiasm after meeting with Chinese ambassador Cong Peiwu in Yellowknife this February, Bryant applauds the diplomatSA国际影视传媒檚 desire to deepen engagement with Northerners. The focus of that engagement was tourism, education and culture SA国际影视传媒� uncontentious subjects designed to repair bridges frayed by years of deteriorating international relations. Indeed, the North has much to recommend itself to Chinese visitors, students and investors, but behind those smiles and kind words sit ulterior motives.
In our 2018 book, entitled ChinaSA国际影视传媒檚 Arctic Interests and What They Mean for Canada, we were optimistic about Chinese businesses contributing to Northern development. At that time, corporate China seemed capable of working at armSA国际影视传媒檚 length from the political agenda of the Communist Party. That optimism was sadly misplaced. What Beijing has made abundantly clear is that trade, investment and politics are inseparable. Business, educational and cultural exchanges with China come with unspoken strings. Criticism of its human rights; its environmental, labour and worker safety record; its aggression towards its neighbours; or its authoritarian system of government risks economic punishment. Through its agricultural boycotts against Canadian producers, embargoes against Australian coal and wine or its economic assault against tiny Estonia, the message is clear: free trade with China isnSA国际影视传媒檛 really free.
We have carefully tracked ChinaSA国际影视传媒檚 efforts to influence and coerce Western states, using trade, research and even cultural and educational interaction as vectors for access. Last year, the Chinese government deliberately left Canada off a list of countries approved as international travel destinations for tour groups, with its embassy alleging that Canada SA国际影视传媒渉as repeatedly hyped up the so-called SA国际影视传媒淐hinese interferenceSA国际影视传媒� as SA国际影视传媒渞ampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words are rising significantly in Canada.SA国际影视传媒� According to the CBC, China now insists that Canada is not a SA国际影视传媒渟afe and friendly environmentSA国际影视传媒� for SA国际影视传媒渙verseas Chinese citizensSA国际影视传媒� or visitors. This is nonsense of course, but it sends a message: CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 (justified) political criticism of China will be punished and Canadians will pay an economic price.
Bryant does not provide this context. He does not mention the Chinese buoy that entered Canadian waters or the state-media backed SA国际影视传媒榓dventurerSA国际影视传媒� Zhai Mo, who tried to force his way into the Northwest Passage in 2021. Bryant also does not mention how Chinese-owned Shenghe Resources managed to become a SA国际影视传媒渃ornerstone investorSA国际影视传媒� in Vital Minerals SA国际影视传媒� with a stake deliberately below the threshold needed to triggered a security review SA国际影视传媒� and then purchased the rare earths mined from the Nechalacho site in the NWT. What was once touted as an example of the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 minerals bolstering Western resilience through friendly value chains has become yet another example of ChinaSA国际影视传媒檚 dominance in critical minerals. The vision of Indigenous participation in the ownership, governance and economic benefits has now become Chinese ownership, board participation and value-add in China.
We agree with Bryant that Canadians should SA国际影视传媒渂e confident to show visitors what a free and open society looks like.SA国际影视传媒� But we need to be careful about who we invite to visit SA国际影视传媒� and who is investing, researching and studying in the North. CanadiansSA国际影视传媒� preference for non-Chinese investment is certainly not SA国际影视传媒渁nti-Asian.SA国际影视传媒� We should prefer partners that do not demand continuous self-censorship, use economic leverage for political coercion or are compelled by domestic law to collect and covertly hand over information to intelligence agencies.
If most Canadians feel increasingly suspicious and cynical about China, it is for good reason. Confidence in pursuing what may appear to be SA国际影视传媒渨in-winSA国际影视传媒� opportunities must be matched by vigilance.
SA国际影视传媒擝y Adam Lajeunesse, Ph.D., associate professor in public policy at St. Francis Xavier University and P. Whitney Lackenbauer, Ph.D., professor and Canada Research Chair in the study of the Canadian North at Trent University.
