Canada-China Brief: Biden talks China in Ottawa, Han Dong resigns over Chinese interference claims & more

This week's edition of IPD's Canada-China Brief covers?Trudeau's China strategy?in talks with Biden and Ottawa's new Quad proposal,?MP?Han Dong's resignation?from the Liberal caucus?amid Chinese foreign interference accusations,?and more.??

First, here's the latest from IPD:

IPD's?Roundup

Recruiting: Young Fellowship Program

IPD is opening recruitment for its new Young Fellowship, a one-year non-resident program aimed at young professionals under 35 interested in researching, publishing, and networking around Canadian foreign, defense, and trade policies. Connect with Canadian and international policy practitioners, decision-makers, and scholars on issues critical to Canada’s national interests. Please forward this posting to qualified candidates in your network.?

Symposium on the Chinese-Brokered Iran-Saudi Deal

IPD convened?ten experts from Canada, the U.S.,?Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Israel, and China to comment on Beijing's brokering of a diplomatic restoration of ties between Riyadh and Tehran. Read the symposium with analyses of different aspects of the breakthrough agreement.

Andrew Latham for CBC on Xi Jinping's Visit to Moscow

Speaking to CBC News on Xi Jinping's meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Senior?Fellow Andrew Latham suggests China and Russia "need each other very much — there is a structural imperative for them not just to cooperate but to signal that they are cooperating."

Top Stories

Trudeau reiterates China strategy upon Biden visit as Ottawa proposes new Quad

Ahead of and during?U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Ottawa, Prime Minister Trudeau restated his government's three-piece approach vis-à-vis?China on the back of discussions around respective Indo-Pacific strategies and a new Canadian-proposed 'Quad' framework.?

Engagement, competition, confrontation?—?In a CNN interview, the PM?stated?Canada will?'engage constructively'?while remaining 'clear-eyed':

• “China is the second largest economy in the world and continues to grow. We are going to have to —?in some circumstances —?engage constructively with China as?we did around the conference on biodiversity that we hosted with them in Montreal.”
• “There are other places where we’re going to have to be stiff competition to China in terms of market access [and]?in terms of investments in the Global South. We need to be able to show that the Western democracies are there to make those investments and they’re as competitive to China.”
• “There are also areas in which we’re going to have to directly challenge China, whether it’s on human rights, whether it’s on security... We’re going to have to continue to be wide-eyed and clear about the threat that China poses and wants to pose to the stability of our democracies.”
• His remarks come as Ottawa has?proposed?a new 'Quad' framework with the U.S., Japan, and South Korea to "counter China and Russia," an initiative which Washington has looked upon favourably according to diplomatic sources in talks with Japanese news outlet Kyodo.

Canada-U.S. alignment?—?In a joint?statement?after?Trudeau's meeting with Biden, China was deemed?a common challenge including on interference:

• "Canada and the United States acknowledge the serious long-term challenge to the international order posed by the People’s Republic of China, including disruptive actions such as economic coercion, non-market policies and practices, and human rights abuses."
• "Canada and the United States will also continue to cooperate on countering foreign interference in our societies in a manner that reflects our shared democratic values."
• In the House of Commons, Biden?noted?reshoring efforts?"can source and supply here in North America everything we need for reliable and resilient supply chains" and that, with the two Michaels in attendance, added "our citizens are not bargaining chips. They’re not diplomatic leverage."
• Also in parliament, Trudeau?said?that "with growing competition, including from an increasingly assertive China, there’s no doubt why it matters that we turn to each other now to build up a North American market on everything" as "security policy is climate policy is economic policy."

Dissatisfaction and opposition?—?China's Embassy in Canada?expressed?opposition to the emphasis of?China-related issues during Biden's visit:

• In response to being designated a long-term challenge to the international order, an embassy spokesperson criticized Ottawa and Washington for "adhering to Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice" and "engaging in bloc politics based on interests of small cliques."
• They urged Canada to "adhere to mutual respect, seek common ground while shelving differences,?work for enhancing mutual trust,?promote cooperation, and improve the atmosphere of bilateral relations," but conceded ties?"are facing difficulties, which China does not want to see."
• In an op-ed for an Ottawa magazine, Chinese Ambassador Cong Peiwu?condemned?Washington's 'Summit for Democracy' this week as divisive, arguing that "democratic judgment should not be monopolized by a few countries" nor "force other countries to take sides."

What commentators think?—?In light of Biden's visit to Ottawa, commentary has coalesced around?trilateral Canada-U.S.-China dynamics:?

• Christopher Sands, Director of Wilson Center's Canada Institute,?commented?that "Ottawa has been looking for a stronger signal that the United States is willing to help Canada develop its critical minerals processing sector," highlighting?U.S. Defense Production Act incentives.
• Colin Robertson, Vice President of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, echoed that?"we’re going to need American help and financing in both mining and developing and refining them."
• Vincent Rigby, former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to Trudeau,?stated?that “the United States is coming with big strategic issues on their mind... it’s a world where they’re looking to allies to help.”

Han Dong exits Liberal caucus, files legal action?over Chinese interference claims

After being accused of lobbying a Chinese diplomat to keep the Two Michaels imprisoned in China, MP?Han Dong has stepped away?from the Liberal Party, now sitting?as an independent in parliament and vowing to combat the case in court.

Emotional goodbye?—?In a statement to the House of Commons, Dong fiercely?denied?the allegations and announced his caucus resignation:

• “What has been reported is false, and I will defend myself against these absolutely untrue claims... Let me assure you as a parliamentarian and as a person, I have never and I will never, and would never advocate or support the violation of the basic human rights of any Canadian, of anyone, anywhere, period.”
• “I’m taking this extraordinary step because to [sit] in the government caucus is a privilege and my presence there may be seen by some as a conflict of duty and the wrong place to be as an independent investigation pursues the facts in this matter."
• "I will be sitting as the Independent so that business of government and indeed the bills of Parliament is not interrupted as I work to clear my name and the truth is presented to Parliament and to Canadian people."
• Separately, Dong?announced?he would "to its fullest extent" be "taking legal action against Global News," reflecting on his father's maltreatment during the Cultural Revolution and subsequent migration to Canada while repeating a statement to his family that "the truth will protect us."

Mixed responses —?The accusations against Han Dong have led to a cascade of responses from government and party figures:

• Asked about the allegations?in a press conference with Biden, Trudeau stated?he "fully accepts [Dong] stepping away from the Liberal caucus in order to vigorously contest these allegations," adding that?foreign interference is a "very real challenge" and?"absolutely unacceptable."
• Upon the release of Global News' report, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre?proclaimed?that "these are serious reports of action that threaten the core of our democracy," going further to say "no more hiding, no more covering up.?Open, public, independent inquiry now."
• Responding to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto?stated?the claims were "utterly groundless" and "have seriously misled Canadian public opinion about China, damaged China's image, and jeopardized China-Canadian relations."
• Chinese?foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin?asserted?that "China opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs. We have no interest in and will not interfere in Canada’s internal affairs."

A little earlier —?Trudeau?appointed former Governor General David Johnston as a Special Rapporteur that will investigate foreign interference claims:

• In a media statement, the PM?stated?that he was?confident that?Johnston "will conduct an impartial review to ensure all necessary steps are being taken to keep our democracy safe and uphold and strengthen confidence in it."
• Johnston has been?given?until May 23rd to make a recommendation on?a public inquiry as he reviews?findings from two closed-door panels, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians?and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency.
• Wesley Wark, a former Harper-era?Advisory Council on National Security member,?suggested?that "a public inquiry would not be a?useful mechanism" given their historically long timelines to produce outcomes.
• He added that election interference is "the least of our worries because I don’t think the Chinese really believe that they can really steer a Canadian election, and because we have a fair degree of protections and controls around the conduct of elections in the law and in practice."

What commentators think?—?An array of former intelligence officials have been drawn in to react to the leaks.?

• Artur Wilczynski, a?former Assistant Deputy Minister for CSE,?said?the leaker "has made it difficult for us to have a rational, deliberate, and effective conversation on how to manage the national security risks posed by Chinese foreign interference in Canada at all levels of government."
• Dan Stanton,?a former executive manager of CSIS operations,?observed?that "the absence of a realistic policy on China, the damaging leaks, and the government’s appearance of stonewalling make a public review the only palatable option."
• Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former CSIS senior manager, stated that "Chinese interference has been going on for decades" and "has gotten more refined, bold, and audacious" over time, adding that "it?will really be bad"?for the PM should there be a public hearing.?

What They're Saying

There is no light between the two countries as to the importance of taking on China, competing against them more effectively, and calling them out when they adopt non-rules-based trade practices.?You sort of can’t leave the overall impression of [Biden's] visit without realizing that Canada and the United States together are prepared to take on China when China needs to be taken on, to protect ourselves from a defence and a commercial capacity.

—?David Cohen,?US.. Ambassador to Canada

For Canada, LNG cargoes could help extend its influence in Asia, while giving Canada some breathing space from the U.S. and side-stepping landmines with China.?Exporting LNG here serves three of the five strategic objectives of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: trade and investment; a sustainable and green future; and partnerships.?It also holds promise for Canada’s own decarbonization efforts, while generating revenue, earning friends, and breaking political deadlock around the future of our resource endowment.?

—?Scott McKnight,?Research Associate, Lupina Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Fears that China will soon invade Taiwan are overblown. There is little evidence that Chinese leaders see a closing window for action. Such fears appear to be driven more by Washington’s assessments of its own military vulnerabilities than by Beijing’s risk-reward calculus. Historically, Chinese leaders have not started wars to divert attention from domestic challenges, and they continue to favor using measures short of conflict to achieve their objectives. If anything, problems at home have moderated Chinese foreign policy, and Chinese popular opinion has tended to reward government bluster and displays of resolve that do not lead to open conflict.

—?Jessica Chen Weiss,?Michael J. Zak Professor for China and Asia-Pacific Studies at Cornell University

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