Burton: Ahead of a U.S. summit, China tries to move the goalposts on the meaning of ‘democracy’

Ahead of a U.S. summit, China tries to move the goalposts on the meaning of ‘democracy’ 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-ahead-of-a-us-summit-china-tries-to-move-the-goalposts-on-the-meaning/

In the lead-up to the summit, China’s propaganda machine went into overdrive. On Saturday, its State Council issued a white paper entitled, China: Democracy That Works, which serves as China’s latest notice of global dominance. “China proposes to build a global community of shared future,” it reads, “and presses for a new model of international relations.”

While touting its own peculiar “democracy,” China neglects to mention that democracies are actually based on the principle of equal citizenship of all peoples. Whether it is tennis star Peng Shuai demanding that a retired Politburo member be held accountable for sexual assault allegations, or Uyghurs, Tibetans and Chinese Christians having the right to practise their religion in the language and culture of their tradition, or people being able to freely speak their thoughts on matters of politics and society without fear of arrest, democracy is the universal entitlement to civil freedoms, the inherent right to be ourselves and freely pursue our own future.

BURTON: What a potential cold war with China means for Canada

BURTON: What a potential cold war with China means for Canada 

https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/burton-what-a-potential-cold-war-with-china-means-for-canada

"Canada needs to stand with our liberal democratic allies in defence of the rules-based international order. The days of the federal government virtue signalling to dampen down the public opprobrium over China’s malign schemes, while Canada’s political and business elite pursue a self-interested policy of appeasement towards China, will have to end. Maintaining the pretense that the best China policy for Canada is one that steers a sophisticated diplomatic middle course between the U.S. and China is no longer viable.

Canada’s esoteric foreign policy doctrine of strategic deception wrongly assumes that what the country lacks in power and influence can be made up by cleverness. But it is simply an expression of Canadian naivety and greed."

Burton: Canada looks on as Biden rallies other allies to counter China

 Burton: Canada looks on as Biden rallies other allies to counter China

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2021/07/21/canada-looks-on-as-biden-rallies-other-allies-to-counter-china.html

"Our government’s increasingly pointed rhetoric with no substantive followup only confirms the weakness of Canada’s position with China, while Ottawa’s attempts at clever diplomacy in trying to steer a middle path between the PRC and the U.S. has only debased Washington’s faith in Canada’s commitment to the integrity of the international rules-based order.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to phone President Biden to assure him of Canada’s support for positive determinations that come out of the QUAD meeting. Then we should not just talk the talk but stand up and show some courage of our convictions."

Burton and Chen Opinion: It’s a bad sign when elites are adopting Chinese Communist Party rhetoric

 Opinion: It’s a bad sign when elites are adopting Chinese Communist Party rhetoric

Some in the commentator class have forgotten the hard lessons about dealing with China

Charles Burton and Duanjie Chen

https://thehub.ca/2021-07-02/opinion-its-a-bad-sign-when-elites-are-adopting-chinese-communist-party-rhetoric/

"The authors ignore the fact that many of the regime’s most passionate critics are themselves of Chinese descent. They neglect to mention that the principal oppressor of the Chinese people is in fact the CCP itself. Calling this out is not racist; it is empowering to those who live in China and risk imprisonment for merely expressing opinions that the regime finds distasteful.

Worse still, this article from Evans and Woo is hardly an isolated statement from the authors; it certainly is not out of character. Most recently, Woo doubled down on repeating the rhetoric used by the wolf warriors in China’s Embassy in Ottawa, arguing that Canada cannot be critical of China’s ongoing genocide in Xinjiang due to Canada’s own deeply problematic history with residential schools.

This classic whataboutism is obviously not concerned about racial inequality or the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples, but again, defending the PRC regime against criticism for its abhorrent human rights abuses. The fact of Canada’s appalling history of gross mistreatment of indigenous peoples makes us Canadians even more sensitized to the evil of crimes against humanity being committed by autocratic racist regimes in China and elsewhere in the world. Woo has it exactly backwards."

Burton: Time for transparency in China's dealings with Canadian universities

 Opinion: Time for transparency in China's dealings with Canadian universities

It is reassuring that Alberta government officials have promised to protect Canada’s national interest by curtailing U of A collaborations with China in strategically sensitive science and technology, but will Ottawa initiate federal legislation such as requiring transparency in reporting of foreign sources of income? There is a powerful pro-PRC lobby in Ottawa, mostly retired politicians who are on China-related boards, including Canadian companies and law firms that benefit from the PRC. In taking China’s money, they are expected to support the interests of the PRC in Canada in return.

Beijing seems confident that, once Canadian public outrage fades over the latest reports of China’s shameless flouting of the norms of international relations, the Canadians on the PRC gravy train will resume quietly lobbying for Ottawa’s restraint in any new measures. This United Front work is a sophisticated engagement of Canada, and the PRC always seems to end up on top.

https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-time-for-transparency-in-chinas-dealings-with-canadian-universities

Burton and Byers: COMMENTARY: Treatment of the Two Michaels reveals Canada’s lack of leverage in Beijing

 

COMMENTARY: Treatment of the Two Michaels reveals Canada’s lack of leverage in Beijing

https://globalnews.ca/news/7706849/michael-spavor-kovrig-china-trial/

But recent years have given stunning clarity to the true nature of the CCP regime. Petty, vindictive, arbitrary, and brutal, Beijing has made no mystery about its authoritarian intentions. Kovrig and Spavor’s plight fits a pattern of belligerence from the regime, including its military incursions and overt threat against its neighbours, genocide against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, blanket repression of cultural, racial, and religious minorities, militarization of international waters in the South China Sea, repression in Hong Kong, and so much more.

Canada’s naïveté toward China has left us impotent and rudderless in the face of Beijing’s aggression. What is desperately needed is for Ottawa to finally wake up to the reality that Canadians have acknowledged for some time: China is a clear threat that we must be prepared to stand against in concert with our allies.

My discussion with Canada's Ambassador to the UN on the Uyghur Genocide (2:15 to 17:30) This video is working again (March 16, 2021)

 

Transcript: http://www.peacemagazine.org/archive/v37n2p16.htm

Burton: Canada needs a foreign agent registry to help it tackle China's influence

 Burton: Canada needs a foreign agent registry to help it tackle China's influence

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/burton-canada-needs-a-foreign-agent-registry-to-help-it-tackle-chinas-influence

Even though opinion polls indicate nearly nine in 10 Canadians want our government to be much more “proactive” in relations with China, the prime minister and cabinet are apparently listening to other voices, who may be rewarded by the PRC régime, saying we should be “sophisticated and mature” in our relations with China, abiding by China’s urging that we “set  aside differences and seek common ground.”

This latest statement by MP Oliphant, that the government is “actively considering” creating a registry of foreign agents, follows a familiar pattern. To appease or distract public opinion, the Trudeau government dangles a series of hollow promises, then just kicks the can down the road.

Canadians should demand that their government stop with the lip service and follow through with this now. As the old Lerner and Loewe show tune puts it “Sing me no song, read me no rhyme, please don’t explain. Show me!”

Canada’s Way Forward With Taiwan: Charles Burton For Inside Policy

 Canada’s Way Forward With Taiwan: Charles Burton For Inside Policy

https://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/canadas-way-forward-taiwan/

"But today, with the re-election of President Tsai Ing-wen, the notion that the government of Taiwan does not deserve to be recognized as a legitimate government no longer holds. The awkward reality today is that Taiwan’s indisputably free and fair election makes clear that the current Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government is the legitimate representation of the aspirations of the people of Taiwan.

Another factor is Canada's now dashed high hopes and aspirations for relations with the People's Republic of China, particularly since Xi Jinping came to power in 2012. While Canada and the PRC still maintain the framework of strategic partnership agreed to when the CCP Party General Secretary visited Canada in 2005, this partnership is no longer active. Simply put, the agreed to government-to-government consultations and programs of collaboration have gone into abeyance. What Canada and our like-minded democratic allies have today is very much a relationship of strategic adversary.

We need to recognize that the current government of democratic Taiwan is a legitimate regime that has effective sovereign control of its territory. As such, Canada’s desire to respect the feelings of the PRC by shunning Taiwan in global affairs is not longer relevant. It follows that Canada no longer has to adopt a Taiwan policy informed by appeasement to the PRC."