My Op-Ed in the Toronto Star "Stephen Harper’s decision on CNOOC finally gets the China connection right"

With greatly enhanced Chinese investment in Canada, one could easily see the pro-China business lobbyists and their think-tank pundits ever more active - and effective - in seeking to further the interests of the Chinese state in Canada. The national security implications of this could go far beyond the concerns that Dick Fadden, the CSIS director, has voiced in recent years about Canadian decision-makers being "under the influence of the Chinese state."

So hundreds of billions of Chinese yuan will not be coming to Canada in years ahead, as some had hoped would be the case. The Chinese government and the Canadian China lobby will not be happy about this. But in Canada's relations with the People's Republic of China, it is clearly better to be respected than loved.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1300372--stephen-harper-s-decision-on-cnooc-finally-gets-the-china-connection-right

My Op-Ed "Stephen Harper’s new trade rules safeguard Canada’s interests"

If China was to follow up its Nexen acquisition with other large investments and become a significant player in Canada's economy, the consequences go far beyond simply which nation would benefit economically from Canada's resources.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/stephen-harpers-new-trade-rules-are-in-canadas-best-interest/article6136355/?service=mobile

Harper says Canada not for sale, as Conservatives approve CNOOC Nexen buy-out | The Vancouver Observer

"Given the scale of potential Chinese investment in Canada's natural resources, a major question that should be on many Canadians' minds is what percentage of ownership by the Chinese state is acceptable to Canadians in natural resources?"

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/world/harper-says-canada-not-sale-conservatives-approve-cnooc-nexen-buy-out

月亮代表我的心 馬拉威ACC孩子們

Prove China spy allegations or 'shut up,' ambassador says - Politics - CBC News

Prove China spy allegations or 'shut up,' ambassador says - Politics - CBC News

Zhang Junsai said political reform is "high" on the government and party's agenda.  I am inclined to disagree with him on that.

New CCP Poliburo Standing C'tee Emerges

New Politburo Standing c'tee:  Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan, Zhang Gaoli. No "reformers"

 Xinhua reports that Xi Jinping has taken control of the military commission.

The composition of new standing committee of the Chinese politburo that has just emerged this morning reflects the disappointing "stay the course" theme of outgoing Party General Secretary's Work Report at the opening of the 18th Congress.  There are no members among them identifying as in the kaiming (enlightened) faction represented by pro-Western reformers such as the leader of Guangdong Wang Yang.  It is hard to imagine that this groups will pay little more than lip service to addressing official corruption and to the pressing need to stimulate domestic demand to reduce difference between rich and poor.  Strong measures under strong charismatic leaders are needed to renew and refocus the Party to regain popular support.  This bland and largely undistinguished group appears to be the harbinger of a Brezhnev-like era in China with no meaningful reform of political and legal institutions or the winding down of the police state security apparatus.  Transferring Wang Qishan off the economic portfolio suggests that therer will be further reorientation of the economy toward  state enterprises and more Party direction of economic development.  Xi immediately displacing Hu Jintao as Chairman of the Central Military Commission further suggests the eclipse of the relatively liberal Youth League faction and a full consolidation of power by Jiang Zemin's Shanghai faction and the taizidang (Princeling faction).  Canadian was hoping for a younger more liberal more open group, but in Communist Party terms what we are getting are a more conservative and less open to the west group of younger leaders.  This does not bode well for China's future in general nor for improved Canada-China relations in specific.

My Op-Ed in the Toronto Star "China's Communist rulers disappoint hopes for change"

My Op-Ed in the Toronto Star "China's Communist rulers disappoint hopes for change" - thestar.com -

"What Chinese people really want is an end to China's police state repression, an end to censorship of political debate and the right to choose their leaders. It would be a win-win situation - and such a democratic, open China would also give Canada a lot less pause over Chinese state investment in Canada."

http://goo.gl/0QyGm

Deeply Moving Speech by PM for Remembrance Day in Hong Kong

My Interview on Party Congress broadcast on CTV News Channel

CTV News | News Video - Top National News Headlines - News Videos

My Observation on the 18th Party Congress So Far

Xi Jinping is not likely to do for politics what Deng did for economics --- he seems more like a Brezhnev type. Despite recognizing the fact of stagnation and decline, the Party has chosen to pay only lip service to the need to address official corruption, the need to increase domestic demand to address the widening gap between rich and poor, and the need for more political legitimacy by allowing citizen participation and freedom of debate.  No effective measures to address these serious issues are being proposed.

 Any significant legal-political change would probably mean that many CCP leaders would not only lose their jobs, but also face prison for "corruption." They know what happened to the Soviet Union Communist Party under Gorbachev and other Communist Parties under reformers and so do not want to follow that path. 

The Stalinist system in the world only survives now in North Korea, Cuba, Laos and the PRC. In no country that abandoned its Stalinist system is there support for return to that system.

I feel that if Chinese people feel seriously let down by 18th Congress that the political situation in China could become dangerous.  I feel anxious at this prospect.

Video: Analyzing the CCP Leadership Transition (Ong Burton, Paltiel, Potter)

CIC Google+ hangout on 18th Party Congress

We're looking forward to our Google+ Hangout with @cburton001, Jeremy Paltiel, Pitman Potter and Lynette Ong tomorow! #CCP18 (starts at noon Ottawa time 08NOV12)

U.S. Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the U.S. House of Representatives report: "Investigative report on the U.S. National Security Issues posed by Chinese Telecommunications Companies Huawei and ZTE

http://intelligence.house.gov/sites/intelligence.house.gov/files/documents/Huawei-ZTE%20Investigative%20Report%20(FINAL).pdf

Global News | Chinese officials seek Canadian anti-smuggling secrets

Global News | Chinese officials seek Canadian anti-smuggling secrets

Australia's National Plan for "Asia Century"

http://asiancentury.dpmc.gov.au/

Regulations on Communist Officials and Government Employees Fleeing the Country Tweet from @GordonGChang

@GordonGChang: Sign that the end is near: China sets up "Command Group to Fight Against Communist Officials and Government Employees Fleeing the Country"

Report on need for clearer foreign investment rules Charles Burton (@cburton001) 与你分享了一条 Twitter 消息

Charles Burton (@cburton001) 在 7:13 AM on 星期一, 10月 29, 2012 发布的推文: Canada’s hazy takeover rules hurt everyone /via @globeandmail http://t.co/FYoIUB48 (https://twitter.com/cburton001/status/262874678538940417) 访问 https://twitter.com/download 下载官方 Twitter 应用 Tel: +1-905-228-2323 Fax: +1-209-231-4087 MSN, Yahoo, Google: cburton001 Skype: cburton002; QQ: 1323798084 Hushmail: Burton@hushmail.com (from Hush only) http://charlesburton.webplus.net http://spartan.ac.brocku.ca/~cburton

Conservatives work to clarify foreign takeover policy - The Globe and Mail

This report gives me considerable cause for optimism:

Conservatives work to clarify foreign takeover policy - The Globe and Mail

Full Video of Buying Canada: Strategic industries, state-owned enterprises and the national interest | Canada 2020

http://vimeo.com/51672399

Buying Canada: Don Newman interviews Charles Burton (Oct 17 2012) on Vimeo

Buying Canada: Don Newman interviews Charles Burton (Oct 17 2012) on Vimeo