Kerry -
You might have nailed it with this. Same with the Saudi leadership it appears.
para . . . .
The Saudis were a bit harsh condemning Canada's stand on human rights. They seem to plead "internal affairs" quite a lot. They also condemned the US Senate resolution that condemned some of their actions -- saying the American Senate shouldn't be interfering in their internal affairs. Hmm? I thought that journalist got killed in Turkey. Is that an internal affair? Hardly, so why say such a ridiculous thing? It seems pretty obvious to me they're not thinking very clearly.
I also don't get it why China is picking a quarrel with Canada. If Canada is going by the laws, what is China's complaint with Canada? I thought this editorial expressed that well.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/newspolitics/us-and-china-feud-canada-pays-the-price-opinion/ar-BBR2gFeCanada simply may have honored a routine extradition warrant, but it finds itself in an unenviable tug of war between the US and China amid a trade war between the two superpowers. Canada reportedly reached a "new level of frustration" with US President Donald Trump after he expressed a willingness to politicize Meng's case and use it as a bargaining chip to protect his country's economic and national security interests. Ottawa is also bearing the brunt of Meng's arrest after China detained two Canadians in apparent retaliation.
The consequences for Canada could be painful. The situation threatens to turn into yet another long-term foreign policy disaster for the relatively young and inexperienced government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. It is still bruising from Saudi Arabia's harsh retaliation after Canada criticized its human rights record in August.
To make matters worse, the imbroglio comes when the Trudeau government is trying to rev up trade and investment with China, partially to benefit from Beijing's deteriorating economic relationship with the US.While I congratulate the Canadian government for not allowing itself to fall into corrupt practices, ignoring the law to show favoritism to "important" people, I think Trudeau is misguided trying to rev up the trade. Trump complains a lot about the trade deficit the US has with China; Trudeau should be complaining more about Canada's deficit and putting the pressure on them for a more balancedd relationship.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/13-605-x/2018001/article/54962-eng.htmBilateral merchandise trade between Canada and China has grown significantly since 2001, and differences in the trade statistics of the two countries have widened in step with this growth. According to China’s statistics, bilateral total trade from 2001 to 2016 grew from $7.4 billion to $45.7 billion, while the customs basis trade balance with Canada grew from a deficit of $680 million to a surplus of $9.0 billion. However, according to Canada’s statistics, bilateral total trade increased from $11.0 billion to $64.4 billion during this time period; Canada’s customs basis trade deficit with China grew from $5.5 billion to $32.8 billion.Trudeau was right to emphasize the need for more competitive wages in Mexico in the NAFTA negotiations. That got some results too. A big inequity in wages in two countries is always to warp the relationship.
Frankly I'd like to see China's trade with Canada and the US fall off. Canada can produce the stuff they import now from China, so can the US. It would mean higher prices for those goods; but it would produce jobs. It would also be good for the environment, saving on the fuel used now to ship stuff half the way round the world. And then there are the security problems. The Chinese are using a lot of the money they get from this unequal trade to build up their military.
Back to the editorial again:
Finally, resentment is growing toward China over everything from its aggressive actions in the South China Sea to mounting unease surrounding its aggressive Belt and Road Initiative. Canada should diversify its trade and investment portfolio with other Southeast Asian nations -- and in the process lessen dependence on China. And seeking sage counsel from elder statesmen such as Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has no qualms about standing up to China, could up Canada's tactical game.
Whatever the outcome of the current foreign policy dispute, the US has poked the Chinese dragon, and Canada stands to be burned badly in the process.I'm rather optimistic. It may look as if Canada's going to get burned, but that's in the short term. I think Canada would do better by diversifying and focusing less on China and more on other Asian countries -- better financially and better for national (and global) security.
It may also encourage China to take human rights more seriously. Human rights is another of my grievances since if we are making China richer by trading with them while they're spending some of that money on concentration camps for the Uighurs, I think we need to start cutting back on the trade. They're using that money on their military and on oppressing their own citizens. Ditto for the Saudis.
Why would China and Saudi Arabia behave the way they have with Canada? I think they believe they can increase their own influence if they can create problems between the US and Canada. Goodness, Trump has already done enough of that; and it looks as if China and Saudi Arabia are piling on. I don't see it working, not in the long term.