Translation of Interview Published in Ming Pao

Scholar Hopes that Increase in Mutual Trust Will Encourage Signing of ADS and Improve the Trade Imbalance

[Note: This interview came out in Ming Pao on June 22. http://www.mingpaotor.com/htm/News/20100622/taa8.htm It is also available at http://news.newstarnet.com/gb/MainNews/NorthAmerica/2010_6_22_8_31_38_583.html. The reporter misunderstood me with regard to the FIPA. My views on this are accurately represented in my recent op-ed published in the Toronto Star and reprinted in other Canadian English-language press: (http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/824570--economic-titan-china-needs-to-act-like-a-leader)]

[Ming Pao Special Report] This years marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Canada and China. Charles Burton, Associate Professor of Political Science at Ontario's Brock University who has served two postings as Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing indicated that he hopes that Canada and China will formally sign an "Approved Destination Status" (ADS) agreement and a "Foreign Investment Protection Agreement" while Chinese President Hu Jintao is on an official visit to Canada this week. Moreover he hopes that there will be progressive building of mutual trust between the two nations which will lead to Canada-China relations entering into a new stage of development.

Burton was a student at Fudan University in Shanghai and from 1991 to 1993 and from 1998 to 2000 was Counsellor for Cultural Affairs and Counsellor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Canada to China. Presently he is an associate professor of Political Science at Brock University in Ontario who has been engaged in the study of Chinese politics and Canada-China relations for many years. He is a scholar-diplomat China affairs specialist. He has written many reports on Chinese affairs for the Federal Department of Citizenship and Immigration, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

For example, in February of last year Burton published a report entitled A Reassessment of Canada's Interests in China and Options for Canada's China Policy. It systematically and penetratingly analyzed relations between Canada and China in the areas of trade and investment, immigration and consular matters, development and human rights, Taiwan, Tibet, Uyghur, Mongolian issues and Falun Gong issues as well as public diplomacy, etc. The Report makes recommendations on how to improve Canada-China relations.

Widening of the trade imbalance and the lack of success of Chretien's China Policy
Burton in his exclusive interview with the Ming Pao gave his analysis of the past Federal Liberal Government and the present Federal Conservative Government's China policies. He believes that the China policy of the federal Liberal Party under the Chretien Government was not successful. This is because the previous Liberal Government emphasized strengthening Canada-China trade relations and adopted a quiet approach to China's human rights situation. In the end China's human rights's situation did not improve and Canada's trade deficit with China got worse and worse year after year.

In the early period of the Federal Conservative Party's new Government, because Prime Minister Harper had not had the experience of being in Government previously, and because the Conservative Government was in a minority position in Parliament which meant that the domestic political situation was uncertain, Mr. Harper had no choice but the focus his attention on domestic affairs. So he had to neglect foreign affairs. Not only did he not visit China, but he also was unable to visit other countries undergoing rapid economic growth such as Russia, Brazil and India.

Now that the domestic political situation is less subject to change, Mr. Harper in recent years has repeatedly made foreign visits. These include his official visit to China in December of last year. In addition, to promote the the development of trade between Canada and China the Conservative Government has established several new consulates in China.

Beijing readjusts its policy toward Canada and increase in investment by Chinese companies
Burton believes that the coming to an understanding with Chinese President Hu Jintao on signing a "Approved Destination Status" Memorandum of Understanding when Mr. Harper visited China last December indicates that the Chinese Government has readjusted its policy to Canada. This is because the Chinese Government perceives that the Federal Liberal Party cannot return to Government in the short term. So the Chinese Government is now prepared to actively cooperate with the Conservative Government. One factor in this is that the Chinese Government does not want cool relations between Canada and China to negatively impact on the Chinese enterprises who are more and more coming to invest in Canada.

With regard to Chinese President Hu Jintao's official visit to Canada set to begin tomorrow, Burton hopes that Canada and China can officially sign an "Advanced Destination Status" (ADS) Agreement and a "Foreign Investment Protection Agreement." He also hopes that the two countries can continue to build more mutual trust between each other.

He indicated that many Canadians are extremely concerned about human rights in China. Therefore when Mr. Harper raises the issue of human rights with Hu Jintao it should be with a high degree of transparency in encouraging China to repect the UN Human Rights Covenants. At the same time Mr. Harper should enourage China to adopt a more responsible approach to China's participation in international affairs. In this way China can play an important role in promoting global economic development and preserving world peace.

For example, China should take a more active role in resolving the problem of North Korea. China is the only nation with influence over North Korea. Moreover it will be of benefit to China to resolve the North Korea problem Burton addressed the outlook for future development of relations between Canada and China. He in particular looked at the tendency of the trade imbalance between Canada and China to become more and more pronounced in recent years and the problem of Canada continuing to lose market share in China.

According to statistics cited in his report A Reassessment of Canada's Interests in China and Options for Canada's China Policy, in 2006 China exported $34.5 million in products to Canada but Canada only exported $7.7 billion worth of products to China in that year. The trade deficit reached $26.8 billion. So the current trade imbalance of Canada to China is 1 to 4. That is to say that for every $100 in products that Canadian imports from China, Canada only exports $25 in products to China.

According to Burton's analysis there are many factors contributing to the serious problem of the trade deficit widening year by year. These include: China's currency policy, China's weak protection of intellectual property and the lack of comprehensive rule of law in China, and the long delay in not signing a "Foreign Investment Protection Agreement" etc.

Lack of support by Canadian agencies in China for Canadian firms seeking to penetrate the Chinese market 
But he also acknowledges that Canadian enterprises in their approach to the Chinese market lack a spirit of being willing to take risks and persisting in pursuit of their goals. In this regard that Canadian enterprises cannot be compared with enterprises from Australia and the U.S. and other countries. In addition another factor is that Canadian business people in China often do not enjoy strong support from Canadian trade promotion agencies in China.

Burton indicated that the U.S. and Australian trade promotion organizations in China are very active with their constituent elements well-coordinated . So they are able to provide a lot of support for their nations' business enterprises in China. In sharp contrast the Canadian government trade promotion agencies lack coordination and lack definition of their respective functional responsibilities between Federal Government and Provincial Government agencies. In addition Canadian Trade Commissioners sent to China don't speak Chinese and lack understanding of the special nature of the Chinese market and of China's business culture. The trade promotion programming also tends to be unresponsive to change in China and so is out of date.

He therefore recomends that the Government of Canada articulate a clear statement of its China trade strategy so as to make progress in getting Canadian enterprises to enter the Chinese market. This strategy should pay close attention to the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese market and its business culture. It should define Canada's strengths in the Chinese market vis-a-vis Canada's competitors there. And it is important that there be better coordination of the activities of various Canadian trade promotion organizations and agencies in China.

FT Report on German Industrialists Pointed Comments to Wen Jiabao

Two of Germany's most prominent industrialists have attacked the business and investment climate in China during a meeting with Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier.

The criticism from the businessmen, the chief executives of Siemens and BASF, came against a backdrop of rising discontent among foreign businesses operating in China.

.          .          .

Jurgen Hambrecht, chief executive of BASF, the chemical producer, hit out at restrictions on foreign business and complained of foreign companies being forced to transfer business and technological know-how to Chinese companies in exchange for market access.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e57a722a-928f-11df-9142-00144feab49a.html

People & Power - Islam in China - 16 Aug 08

http://www.amnesty.org.au/china/comments/16885/

Editorial About Michael Ignatieff's China Policy in National Post this morning

Beijing's Canadian apologist

National Post · Tuesday, Jul. 6, 2010

Michael Ignatieff is in China this week, attempting to show Canadians how different this country's foreign relations would be if he were prime minister. If what we've seen so far -- simpering apologies and moral equivalence in the face of China's dictatorship--is indicative, we say, "No, thank you."

Full text at:

http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/Beijing+Canadian+apologist/3239196/story.html

Translation of Interview Published in the Shanghai Morning Post

China and the U.S. Will Be the Leading Actors at the Toronto Summit: Former Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy to China , Exclusive Interview with the Shanghai Morning Post, Says the G20 Summit Will Have Enduring Impact

TIAN Hui, Special Correspondent, Shanghai Morning Post (filed from Ottawa, June 22)

[NOTE BY ME: most of the quotations from me and some of the facts given in this report are not accurate reflections of what I said in the interview.  The original Chinese version can be found at: http://www.jfdaily.com/a/1186754.htm]

Focus on the G20 Summit
    He speaks Chinese as fluently as Dashan.  He was a student in the Class of '77 in the Philosophy Department at Fudan University.  Formerly Counsellor for Cultural Affairs at the Canadian Embassy to China, he has been dedicated to the study of China for over 30 years.  No matter from what perspective, this former Canadian diplomat and professor of Political Science at Brock University is one of the most authoritative spokesmen for interpreting Canada-China relations.

    On the eve of President Hu Jintao's  visit to Canada and attendance at the Group of 20 leaders' summit, this Shanghai Morning Post special correspondent engaged in an exclusive interview with Professor Charles Burton on a series of topics including Canada-China relations and the Group of 20 heads of government summit.

China's national competitiveness ranks 9th among the G20

    Last April the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences issued its 2010 Chinese Urban Competitiveness Blue Book: Report on Chinese Urban Competitiveness.  The main theme of the Report is an analysis of the the relative levels of competitiveness of China and the G20 nations.  In 2008 China's national competitiveness was ranked 9th among of the G20 nations.  This is the same ranking for China as in 2004.  But taking into account the rapid increase in the index, the discrepancy with the developed nations has been continuously shrinking.

    Although the Group of 20 dialogue mechanism has been established for more than a decade, it has only been really under the spotlight since the beginning of the global financial crisis in 2008.  Because of the unique position of the U.S. and China in this financial crisis, China's voice and actions have drawn particular attention.

Charles Burton on Political Relations

Canada-China Relations Have Switched into the Fast Lane

"Chinese President Hu Jintao's coming to Canada on a state visit is an expression of both Canada and China placing more importance on the bilateral relationship."  Charles Burton indicated that President Hu Jintao's visit to Canada symbolizes Canada-China relations again switching into the fast lane.

    Burton said that when the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited China at the end of last year he had an interesting exchange with Premier Wen Jiabao.  Wen Jiabao said that it had been five years since a Prime Minister of Canada had visited China.  Mr, Harper responded that it had also been about five years since a Chinese leader had visited Canada.  Charles Burton said: "Only half a year after this exchange. the President of China is about to visit Canada.  This will mean that there has been an exchange of visits at the highest levels of the Canadian and Chinese Governments.  This makes it evident that the leaders of our two nations have resolved to push the Canada-China bilateral relationship to rapid forward development."

    Charles Burton told this reporter, of all the foreign leaders attending the G20 meeting only President Hu Jintao will be making a state visit at the same time.  "Actually just after President Hu Jintao completes his state visit to Canada, the Governor-General of Canada, Michaele Jean will make an official visit to China at the end of June until the beginning of July.  This series of exchanges at the highest levels shows that there are genuine measures being undertaken by both China and Canada to push forward the development of the bilateral relationship."

      With regard to the stagnant nature of Canada-China relations of the past few years, Burton feels that this is largely related to Canadian domestic politics.  When Mr. Harper first became Prime Minister, he lacked experience of governing and the Conservative Party only had a minority of the seats in Parliament.  So he had to put most of his focus on domestic political affairs and therefore had to reduce attention paid to foreign affairs.  He was not only obliged to neglect relations with China, he was also unable to visit other nations with newly emerging economies such as Russia, Brazil and India.  But now after the election of last year, the Conservative Party has a more stable position in Parliament.  So Mr. Harper can put more attention to international matters.  He has gone abroad a number of times recently and also assumed responsibility for holding international meetings such as the G8 and G20 Summits.  This demonstrates that Mr. Harper can now be more practive in giving full play to his political aspirations.

Charles Burton on Trade and Economic Relations

Choosing Cooperation with China is a Wise Choice

    With regard to Canada and China's trade and economic relationship, Burton indicated that the future prospects for interaction between Canada and China in trade and economic areas are exceptionally good.  He said: "Canada and Australia are both among the seven most developed western nations.  The scale of their economies is about the same.  But China and Australia have bilateral trade that amounted to 60 billion US dollars in 2009, while China and Canada's bilateral trade amounts to only 30 billion US dollars."  "Although trade and economic relations between Canada and China have developed well over the years, compared to the overall economic strength of the two nations and the potential for economic cooperation, the scale of bilateral trade and investment remains small.  In particular the quite large trade deficit  between Canada and China, presently 1:4 is something that the Canadian Government and commercial sector very much hope to change.  It is said that that President Hu Jintao will bring an enormous Chinese trade delegation with him on this visit.  This shows that Canada and China both have started to adopt strong measures to change this situation."

    With regard to the causes of the current imbalance in Canada-China trade Charles Burton feels that there a number of factors to take into consideration.  First is that Canada at the national level does not have a unified institution to promote overseas trade.  Canada has the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian Commmercial Corporation, and the Export Development Bureau.  But these institutions are not sufficiently coordinated and so cannot operate with the integrated strength of an integrated trade promotion body.  Second is that Canadian companies, especially small and medium sized enterprises, have some reservations about investing in China.  For example they are concerned about protection of their intellectual property rights and the issue of foreign investment protection in China and the currency exchange rate issue, etc.  This is not to say that China has not been making efforts in these areas, but that Canada has strict regulation of these matter.  So major Canadian coriporations hope that they can receive the same treatment in China as China corporations receive in Canada.  Canada strictly protects investments from foreign sources.

    Burton said in fact starting last year, Canada and China have gradually started work to progressively raise the level of their commercial cooperation.  "Canada has set up new trade offices in six Chinese cities, and the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance and the President of the Central Bank have visited China and have begun dialogue with the Government of China and commerical personages in China.  This shows that Canada has realized that against the background of the current international financial crisis strengthening cooperation with China is a wise choice."

Charles Burton on the G20 Summit

China's voice is paid exceptional attention

    On being asked about the role played by China at the G20 heads of governments meeting, Burton indicated that he is full of expectations.  "Because of the unique position of the U.S. and China in this financial crisis, China's voice and actions have drawn particular attention."

    Burton said:"This meeting of the heads of government of the G20 in Toronto will have an enduring impact.  It is a result of the Pittsburgh Summit of last September and will set the tone for for summit in Seoul, Korea set for November of this year.  It is first summit since the reinstitutionalization of the G20 Summit.  Prime Minister Harper set the theme of this Summit as 'Recovery and New Beginnings.'  This makes clear that hopes that through this Summit a summary statement can be concluded on the series of measures taken over the past two years to salvage the international financial system from crisis, and at the same time seek the direction of future efforts in this regard."

    Charles Burton indicated that at the Toronto Summit the U.S. and China have a very critical role to play.  Whether in implementing the Pittsburgh Summit's pledge to bring about "strong, sustainable and balanced growth mechanisms" or in discussing the current European sovereign debt crisis, China and the U.S. are both the most important voices.  Especially China's as the world's third largest economy and the largest holder of U.S. debt.  People should be full of expectations for the role that China plays."

    "I personally am particularly keen to see how China responds with regard to currency, especially foreign exchange policy.  Although the Government of China has indicated that he G20 Summit is not a suitable venue to discuss the RMB yuan exchange rate policy, but I believe that this question to a lesser or greater extent will be raised at the Toronto Summit," Burton said.

[People in the News]

Magazines got me interested in China

    Charles Burton is a professor in the Political Science Department at Brock University and formerly Counsellor for Cultural Affairs at the Canadian Embassy to China.  

    Burton told this reporter that he has been connected with China for more than 40 years.  His first contact with China came in his youth.  "At that time China was still in the throes of the Cultural Revolution.  I found a book shop on the route between my home and school.  It has a lot of books and magazines from China.  For example Peking Review, China Pictorial, etc and even Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse Tung."

    "I found it quite fascinating and got quite excited by it, because it was all so mysterious.  And more importantly these books and magazines were very inexpensive.  I could afford to buy them.  Through these books and magazines I became entranced by China and the Chinese language.  After I graduated from university, I went to the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Cambridge University to formally study Chinese."

    "Later Prime Minister Trudeau visited China.  I ws selected as one of the ten Canadian young people to be sent to China for further studies of Chinese.  I studied under Professor Yan Beiming in the Philosophy Department at Fudan University.  

    Due to his familiarity with Chinese history and culture words like "three classes before the Cultural Revolution" "Worker, Peasant. Soldier University Student" tumble out of Burton's mouth.  He told this reporter that he was in the first university class after the end of the Cultural Revolution.  His classmates at Fudan were from the "three classes before the Cultural Revolution" and he was the youngest among them.    Many of the classmates are now already grandfathers.

    Charles Burton also told this reporter that while he was studying in China he also acted in a film, "The Second Handshake."  The Director gave me 50 yuan for my efforts.  In the China of 1980, this was a considerable sum."

    

CSIS Director's Remarks about Canadian Politicians and Senior Civil Servants Influenced by PRC Intelligence Services

Mr. Fadden did obliquely but clearly allude to the PRC, but I did not hear him suggest that the politicians and civil servants he is accusing of disloyalty to Canada are of Han ethnicity.  But Mr. Fadden has cast suspicion on all provincial cabinet ministers by suggesting that there are 2 of them that are influenced by the PRC Ministry of State Security.  Casting this sort of unsupported aspersion is unacceptable and reminiscent of McCarthyism in the US in the 50s.  So CSIS should either withdraw the insinuation completely with a full apology and Mr. Fadden's resignation or refer the matter to the RCMP for investigation so that the accused can defend themselves properly in a court of law.

Foreign Policy: Time For China To Act In North Korea : NPR

Foreign Policy: Time For China To Act In North Korea : NPR

"While hosting the Six Party Talks on denuclearizing North Korea, China has graciously provided hundreds of lunches to diplomats, but utterly failed to take any of the tough actions necessary to bring about real change in North Korea."

China says G-20 wrong place to discuss yuan issue - Yahoo! News

This does beg the question that if the G-20 is not the place to discuss the global economic impact of China's manipulation of the value of the yuan, where is the correct venue to raise this? China evidently does not feel that it is able to defend its policies so prefers "quiet diplomacy" on this issue.

China says G-20 wrong place to discuss yuan issue - Yahoo! News

Economic titan China needs to act like a leader - thestar.com

Clink on link below for my op-ed published in the Toronto Star today:

Economic titan China needs to act like a leader - thestar.com

House of Commons Committees - FAAE (40-3) - Situation at Rights & Democracy - Report

Click on link below for the Report:

House of Commons Committees - FAAE (40-3) - Situation at Rights & Democracy - Report

Translation of Interview with Me on Front Page of Today's Toronto Ming Pao

Canada-China Relations Continue to Develop: Hu Jintao Will Make an Official Visit to Canada Prior to Summit
[Ming Pao Report] The President of China, Hu Jintao, will shortly make a visit to Ottawa. Charles Burton, professor at Ontario's Brock University, who has served as Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada to China, indicated yesterday that this shows that Canada and China both place great importance on their bilateral relationship.

Charles Burton said that of all the heads of state attending the two summits, Hu Jintao is the only head of state who will make an official visit to Canada just prior. He indicated that at the end of last year when our Prime Minister Harper visited China, Premier Wen Jiabao noted that the Canadian Prime Minister had not visited China for many years. Harper also said that no Chinese leader had visited Canada in many years and invited Hu Jintao to visit Canada. Now the visit from Hu Jintao will indeed take place. 

Looking back over the period since the Harper Government came to power, the originally quite close Canada-China relationship cooled down. Burton is of the opinion that that the primary reason for this is because when the Harper Government came into office they lacked experience of government and also were in a minority government situation. It was not a stable state of affairs. This meant that the new government had to be primarily occupied with domestic policy and reduce the focus on foreign affairs. It was not only that they could not give due attention to China, but also were not able to visit other nations with rapidly developing economies such as Russia, Brazil, India, etc. He said that now the situation of the Conservative Party is relatively stable. This gives them an opportunity to strengthen foreign relations. In recent years, Harper has increased his visits abroad, not only single nation visits but also participation in international conferences. This now extends to hosting global affairs conferences such as the G8 and G20.

Looking to the future of Canada-China relations Charles Burton sees it as a long and arduous journey. Over the past years the trade imbalance between Canada and China has become serious and is increasing year by year. At present the imbalance is 1:4, that is to say that for each 100 dollars of commodities that Canada imports from China, Canada exports 25 dollars worth to China. He says that Canada is losing market share for its commodities sales into the Chinese market, while the share of the Chinese market held by Britain and Australian products has been increasing. There are many factors underlying this problem. These include the Chinese policies on determination of the value of the yuan for foreign exchange, inadequate protection of intellectual property, and long delays in completing negotiation of a foreign investment protection agreement, etc.
http://www.mingpaotor.com/htm/News/20100615/taa1.htm or here.

Time to Get Serious About North Korea

A story in the New York Times "Views Show How North Korea Policy Spread Misery" (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/world/asia/10koreans.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=print) very convincingly reports on the appalling poverty and injustice faced by people living in North Korea.  It is really time for China to end the hypocritical charade of the Six Party Talks and for China to engage enlightened elements in the DPRK military to bring an end to the Kim family regime there.

A stable and open North Korea would offer enormous opportunity for Chinese investment in reconstruction in that devastated economy.  Only China has the expertise and resources to carry this out.  The tragedy in the DPRK is only deteriorating.  Better to act sooner than later.

Tom Flanagan's paper on "Conservative Organization in an Era of Permanent Campaign"

Link to Tom Flanagan's paper on "Conservative Organization in an Era of Permanent Campaign" to be presented at the Canadian Political Science Association Annual Meeting on June 3: http://tinyurl.com/tompaper

Canada's Suspension of Diplomatic Relations with North Korea

When I was working for DFAIT in the late-1990s, I strongly supported Canada's diplomatic recognition of the DPRK (which finally came about in 2001). I thought Canada could identify engage and support agents of change there and encourage the DPRK to move toward compliance with international norms of state behaviour domestically and internationally. I now realize that I was naive in my assessment of the nature of the regime there. The Kim family regime in North Korea  could go on a long time longer sustained and supported by China, sorry to say. 

Hope I am wrong again about this.

For details on Canada's suspension of diplomatic relations with DPRK: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/canada-suspends-diplomatic-relations-with-north-korea-over-warship-sinking-94869569.html

CanKor has published a blog posting entitled "Confusion over Canada's suspension of relations": http://www.cankor.ca/confusion-over-canada-s-suspension-of-relations.php

Commons For Aff C'tee Now to Review Report on R&D June 10 and 15

Commons For Aff C'tee will meet June 10 and 15, to study draft report on situation at Rights & Democracy: http://tinyurl.com/3a22lb7

Human Rights and Human Resources Management at the Canadian Embassy to China

I was chatting with a Chinese friend who served with me at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing over both of my diplomatic postings there.  She was just forced to retire from service to the Embassy at age 55, very much against her will and is now looking for work.  I have men friends in the same situation who the Embassy made leave at age 60, also against their wills leaving them at loose ends and in reduced financial circumstances.  It is quite a contrast to the numbers of Canadian diplomats I have known who voluntarily retired after 30 years of service to generous pensions and substantially increased income becuase they were able to keep working for the Canadian Government on contract.

The justification given by the Embassy Admin Section for mandatory retirement of locally engaged staff is that it is a Chinese practice to require women to retire at 55 and men at 60.  There is no Chinese law requiring this in fact, only internal procedures in the state sector that are full of loopholes.  In fact most Chinese women continue working past 55 and most Chinese men continue past 60.  And anyway there is nothing that requires the Government of Canada to follow Chinese labour practices at our Embassy in China.  China is not an exemplar of progressive human resources practices after all.  Anyway we do not apply these to the Canadian diplomatic staff as a courtesy to our host nation.  That would definitely not go over well with PAFSO.

The bottom line appears to be that the Embassy prefers younger more attractive and more energetic Chinese people in our employ.  Until a few years ago my employer, Brock University would have forced me to retire at age 65, but thanks to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms this is no longer the case for me.  I expect my future more wrinkly self to be able to enjoy the dignity of work until I decide myself that it is time for me to hand over my courses on Chinese Politics and International Human Rights to some fresh-faced newly minted Ph.D.  Canada has determined that this is my human right.

The Embassy's discriminatory mandatory retirement requirment for Chinese staff only is simply morally wrong.  The crux of them matter is: are we prepared to treat the people under our authority with the same dignity as we treat our fellow Canadians?  Respect for universal entitlement to human rights is a principle that expresses in things great and small.  If we flaunt human rights in the small stuff of personnel management in China, what does it say for the much more serious and challenging and complicated issues of human rights in our treatment of people under our authority in Afghanistan?

The Speaker's Ruling and Canada's Engagement with China on Rights

It is my fervent hope that the Government will respond in a forthright way to Mr. Milliken's ruling that he read out in Parliament yesterday.  I have put a lot of my adult life into striving on behalf of Canada to promote democracy in China.   A central theme of this work has been to promote the truth that it is critical that the democratically elected members of the national legislature, the people's representatives, truly be the final arbiters of political decisionmaking.  The system only works through the checks and balances inherent in a genuine separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches.  These ideas are a hard sell in China.  The Chinese Communist Party holds that separation of powers makes the state too weak.  I am often told (usually in a subtle way) that the Canadian system must be a sham, just as their system is because the universal principle is that those in power always accrue it to themselves.  But there are more and more people in China who have come 'round to the idea that genuinely democratic institutions are critical to China's rise as a great and respected nation in the world.  I hope I live to see the day that China's President is elected in a general election.

I sympathize with concerns about protecting Canada's national security through protection of state secrets.  But to be frank about it, speaking as a former employee of Canada's Department of National Defence as well as our Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, almost all of the information that I was bound to keep secret could be safely made public with no damage to Canada's security.  Honesty and openness is always the best policy.  

It does make me wonder if the roles were reversed and the Conservatives were in opposition and not the Government, would we not be hearing some very strong statements in Parliament arguing for the right of Parliament to be given access to those documents in question?

Commons For Aff C'tee to Review Report on R&D May 25 and 27

 It was agreed, — That the Committee meet on Tuesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 27, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., to consider a draft report on the situation at Rights & Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development).

House of Commons Committees - FAAE (40-3) - Minutes of Proceedings - Number 012 (Official Version)

www2.parl.gc.ca

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development met in camera at 12:05 p.m. this day, in Room 269, West Block, the Chair, Dean Allison, presiding.

CPAC Re-Broadcasting For Aff Ctee Study of R & D Sunday

Sunday, April 18 at 2PM ET / 11AM PT
House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (April 13, 2010)
The committee continued its study into the situation at Rights and Democracy, the troubled taxpayer-funded human rights agency.Suzanne Trépanier, the widow of former R and D president Rémy Beauregard, was at the committee to defend her late husband's reputation. The Conservatives had tried to block Trépanier from testifying, but backed down after negative publicity. Trépanier wants the government to call a public independent inquiry into the agency.


The committee also heard from former board member Payam Akhavan and from former presidents Ed Broadbent and Warren Allmand.

Sunday, April 18 at 4PM ET / 1PM PT
House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (April 15, 2010)
Gérard Latulippe, the new president of Rights & Democracy, answered questions about the current situation at the organization. The Montreal-based agency has been weighed down by internal problems, resignations of board members, and accusations of political interference from the Harper government.
Latulippe's appointment as president in March of this year was criticized by the federal opposition parties.

加拿大人眼里的40年来的中加关系

加拿大人眼里的40年来的中加关系

布鲁克大学   查尔斯·波顿

1991-93及1998-2000任加拿大驻华使馆参赞

 

加拿大与中国的双边及多边关系，对加拿大的安全与繁荣至关重要。得益于包括联合国、世界贸易组织、国际劳工组织、世界卫生组织、20国集团在内的跨国机构的斡旋，世界的政治经济越来越朝向全球化的方向发展，中加两国在一系列广泛的国际相互关系中越来越密切地交织在一起。目前，中国和加拿大存在贸易和人员往来，涉及移民、教育和文化领域，这些在一代人之前是不可想象的。

自1970年10月加拿大与中华人民共和国正式建交以来,中加关系已经提升而且转变为一种相互依赖的水平上。

这并不是说加拿大政府在1949-1970年和中国大陆没有联系。实际上，早在1958年，加拿大与中国进行了大宗的小麦贸易。当时，中国遭受了非常严重的饥荒。按照1961年签订的一项协议，在两年半的时间里，加拿大向中国出售小麦，其价值达到了4.22亿美元。

这一协议是应阿尔文·汉密尔顿（Alvin Hamilton）的要求提出的，当时他是保守党政府John Diefenbaker总理任内的农业部长。对中国的小麦贸易在当时受到了部分人的反对，这些人支持加拿大在英联邦体系内发挥作用，他们认为，印度作为加拿大在英联邦的伙伴，在当时与中国存在剧烈冲突，值此之际，向中国援助粮食会让人觉得，加拿大在中印冲突中支持中国。而且，美国在当时对中国实行了严厉的贸易禁运。因此，汉密尔顿的创议被视为对美加关系的挑战。

对加拿大来说，在当时的背景下与中国建立外交关系，是一个引起广泛争议的政治决定。加拿大国内存在一定的阻力，因为中方要求，在加中两国关系正常化之前，“中华民国”的外交人员必须关闭使馆并回到台湾，反对渥太华和北京达成的协定。

1970年10月，加拿大总理皮埃尔·特鲁多（Trudeau）做出了承认新中国的决定。在回顾缘何做出这一决定时，人们今天也许会提到特鲁多的著名口号：“理智胜过情感”。蒋介石领导的台湾国民党政府，其所控制的区域，人口仅为中国全部人口的1/60。而北京政府所控制的领土上，其居民则达到了全国人口的59/60，因此，转而与北京政府建立外交关系无疑是理智的。加拿大"注意到"中国关于台湾问题的声明 (takes note of China's claims over Taiwan)，并将其纳入备忘录，这构成加拿大在1970年10月承认中华人民共和国的基础。这一声明，在此后的一些年中，也为相继承认中华人民共和国的许多国家所接受。

Diefenbaker政府对中国的小麦外交引发了政治争议，与此相关的另外一个因素是在皮尔森及特鲁多二位总理任内，加拿大与中国接近，正值越南战争酣战之际。当时中国支持向胡志明领导的北越提供武器和道义援助，而胡志明的军队正在屠杀美国——加拿大的亲密盟友——的士兵。

同期，中国还在开展文化大革命的思想运动，对美国进行尖锐批判。因此就加拿大和美国密切的文化和经济联系而言，加拿大对中国政府的策略是允许加拿大“打中国牌”，并宣称其外交政策独立于美国。从加拿大的观点来看，这与特鲁多对古巴的菲德尔·卡斯特罗（Fidel Castro）——美国这一时期的敌人——是一样的。这些外交动议可以被视为对加拿大国内紧张情绪的一种反应。当时人们认为，美国技术和资金在全球的传播，将深刻改变他国的经济和政治局势，破坏这些国家的文化精髓和民族认同。加拿大的民族主义者对毛泽东时代中国的观念非常着迷，这种观念使中国面对现代性危机时，既不依附苏联，也不依附美国。加拿大人认为，不论如何，中国所采用的方式，都使中国人更像真正的人。在那个年代里，关于中国文化大革命的真正性质，在加拿大国内存在着误解和一些天真的看法。

Pierre Trudeau's1973年访华具有重要的象征意义，Trudeau与周恩来总理和毛泽东主席会面，他在周恩来总理和刚刚复出的邓小平的陪同下访问中国的名胜古迹。但实质性的成果并不多，只达成了一个领事协定，允许中国公民与加拿大的亲属团聚。总之，在中加建交的头十年间，加拿大在实现在华利益方面没有太大作为。除了小麦贸易以外，其他方面的交流水平都很低。

其他领域的双边和多边关系也受到了那些年内中国极其排外的意识形态政策的制约。加拿大和中国之间的人员往来也比较有限。1970年代，在华的加拿大人只有少数外交官，和分散在全国各地的高等院校的不到30名加拿大留学生。

但在中国采取了改革开放的政策之后，加深两国关系的可能性受到了重视，双方对此都表现出热情。1984年1月，中国总理赵紫阳成为在加拿大上下两议院的联席会议上发表演讲的首位共产主义领袖。当年10月，赵紫阳在中南海接见魁北克的分裂主义分子Parti Quebecois达90分钟，马丁·布赖恩·马尔罗尼（Martin Brian Mulroney）的保守党政府对此感到不快，但这对两国关系并未造成太大影响。
  中加关系在1989年的天安门事件中受到了影响。在建国门外加拿大外交工作人员公寓，子弹穿透了窗户。在北京的加拿大留学生在使馆安营扎寨等待救援。一些加拿大公司在撤出加拿大员工后关闭了他们在北京的办公室，加拿大大使Earl Drake被召回渥太华，接受长期咨询。中国的所有在加的公民被当作难民对待，并被允许在加拿大永久停留，大多数人都选择留在加拿大，一些公派到加拿大深造的中国学者也如此这般，这尤其令北京政府强烈不满。中加建交20周年之际的1990年，机构精简了的加拿大使馆收到渥太华的指示“不得举行任何庆祝活动”。

让·克雷蒂安(Jean Chretien)总理在1996、1998、2001带领贸易团访问中国，2001年的访问团规模创加拿大历史之最。陪同他前往的，有近600名商业代表、8个省的省长、3个地区的首领。

  尽管加拿大采取了这些新举措，但加拿大在中国的贸易和投资表现，并不如其他国家。根据联合国商品贸易数据库的有关数字，1997年加拿大对华贸易只占全部出口的0.93%，而中国从加拿大的进口也只占中国全部进口总额的1.41%。2003年，从加拿大的的进口，降至中国进口总额的1.06%，尽管加拿大对华出口占其出口总额的1.61%。尽管加拿大对中国出口的绝对数量在增加，但在中国进口中的份额却明显下降。在2006年加拿大在中国的进口市场中的份达到历史最低的0.97%。

在保守党总理史蒂芬·哈珀上台后，2008年加拿大在中国进口中的份额缓慢升到1.12%。加拿大对华出口所占的比例则创下了2.71%的新高。据加拿大工业部发布的对华双边商贸统计资料，2006年加拿大对华出口总额达到73亿美元，2007年进口达到345亿美元，2008年的进口为101亿美元，出口为426亿美元。这些数字表明加拿大对华贸易额在逐年增加，但中国对加拿大的出口增长幅度更大，现在加拿大对华贸易中的巨额赤字更是达到了4比1。 问题还在于加拿大的商业“文化”。这种文化缺乏远见和冲劲，源于政府补贴和扶植计划。加拿大之所以不能抓住中国市场巨大的机会。加拿大商会在谈到其会员时说：“许多公司规模很小，不了解世界及中国市场行情，这就使其面临风险。”

在加拿大，各联邦党派都高度认可，优先发展对华关系，不仅可以带动两国间的贸易和投资，促进加拿大的繁荣，而且可以鼓励高素质的中国人移民加拿大。通过2006年最新的人口统计，在3120万加拿大居民中，有120万认为自己是“中国人”。这个数量占加拿大人口总数的近4%。汉语成为继英语和法语之后第三种最常用的语言。

加拿大也希望在双方共同关心的领域——诸如公平贸易、环境的可持续性，限制疾病传播、尊重人权、共同抗击跨国犯罪，以及在快速全球化的世界里迅速涌现出的其他问题上，与中国加强合作。上述任何问题都不容派系之间的纷争。

而且，加拿大所有的政治派别都关心指控中国侵犯人权的报告。加拿大的外交政策支持言论自由、政治和宗教信仰自由，保护私人财产免受贪污腐化的侵夺。达赖喇嘛被授予加拿大荣誉公民，这个“敏感的”政治事件，甚至也能在加拿大下院被一致通过。在国际上，加拿大认为缅甸、苏丹、朝鲜、津巴布韦等是动荡不安的专制国家，中国与其保持密切联系，令加拿大政府不安。

所以渥太华的下一届政府无论由谁组阁，可能都会继续重视对华关系，这关系到加拿大的根本利益。自由党与保守党、新民主党和其他派别之间的最大区别，就在于人权领域。在与中国交涉人权问题时，自由党主张采取“静悄悄的外交”方式。劳埃德·阿克斯沃西（Lloyd Axworthy）是让·克雷蒂安政府任内的加拿大外交部长，他于1997年在北京同中国总理李鹏、外交部长钱其琛进行会谈后，建议双边政府在互信的基础上，就人权问题对话。2006年，加方因认为对话并不能有效促进中国的人权，而推迟了这一对话。比如，加拿大认为，中国没有迹象表明，中国政府要批准12年前，亦即1998年就已签署的《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》。然而，加拿大正在与中国就双方都能接受的、新的人权保障机制进行协商。

2009年12月，斯蒂芬·哈珀总理对中国进行国事访问，成为自2006年哈珀总理就任后的第19次内阁级对华访问。此行的一个重要成果是协商核准了中国到加拿大的旅游协议，前两任总理Chretien和 Martin虽曾为此付出努力，但未有结果。

哈珀总理在离华前指出，“加拿大在中国已经产生了重要的影响，但同时我们也意识到，这仅仅是开始。” 诚如斯言，到中加建交50周年之际，将会有更多的成就值得共同庆祝！