Abstract
COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the relationship between Canada, China, and the United States. It has led to rising anti-China sentiment, calls for re-shoring essential products, and pledges to hold China “accountable” for the pandemic in both the United States and Canada. However, relations between China and Canada/United States were problematic before COVID-19. This chapter examines Canada’s economic, diplomatic, and security relations with China in the context of a series of clashes between the United States and China. It addresses the situation of Huawei and Canada’s 5G network; the arrest of Meng Wanzhou on a US extradition request; Chinese trade embargoes in pork, beef, and canola; the collapse of free trade talks; and the imprisonment of prominent Canadians in China.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
“A Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada.” 2020. June 23. https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/6956527/Letter-to-Prime-Minister.pdf.
Alini, Erica. 2018. “Huawei Saga will Freeze Trade Talks, Hurt Canadian Investment in China: Experts.” Global News, December 13.
Allison, Graham. 2017. Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap? Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt.
Angus Reid Institute. 2020. “Canadian Opinions of China Reach New Low.” May 13. http://angusreid.org/covid19-china/.
Blanchfield, Mike. 2017. Swingback: Getting Along in the World with Harper and Trudeau. Montréal, QC and Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen’s University Press.
Blanchfield, Mike. 2018. “’Unintended Consequences on Canada:’ Trudeau Fears Economic Fallout from U.S.–China Spat.” National Post, December 14. https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/canada-will-shortly-see-spavor-second-detained-canadian-in-china-trudeau.
Blanchfield, Mike. 2020. “China Likes Canada’s ‘Cool-Head’ Amid U.S. ‘Smears’ Over COVID-19: Envoy.” Victoria Times-Colonist, May 1.
Bow, Brian and Patrick Lennox. 2015. “The ‘Independence’ Debates, Then and Now: False Choices and Real Challenges.” In Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas, 3rd ed., edited by Duane Bratt and Christopher Kukucha, 109–112. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Bratt, Duane. 2015. “The Energy Triangle: Canada, the United States, and China.” In Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas, 3rd ed., edited by Duane Bratt and Christopher Kukucha, 434–449. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Bresge, Adina. 2020. “Chinese Consulate Blasts Alberta Premier Jason Kenney for COVID-19 Criticism.” Globe and Mail, May 17. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-chinese-consulate-blasts-alberta-premier-jason-kenney-for-covid-1-2/.
British Broadcasting Corporation. 2020. “A Quick Guide to the U.S.–China Trade War.” BBC News, January 16. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45899310.
Burton, Charles. 2015. “The Dynamic of Relations Between Canada and China.” In Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas, 3rd ed., edited by Duane Bratt and Christopher Kukucha, 171–185. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Calvert, Phillip. 2018. “Justin Trudeau’s China Challenges.” In Justin Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Policy: Canada Among Nations 2017, edited by Norman Hillmer and Philip Lagassé, 145–164. Toronto: Palgrave Macmillan.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2006. “Won’t Sell Out Human Rights Despite China Snub: PM.” CBC News, November 15. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/won-t-sell-out-on-rights-despite-china-snub-pm-1.570708.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2010. “Some Politicians Under Foreign Sway: CSIS.” CBC News, June 22. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/some-politicians-under-foreign-sway-csis-1.909345.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2020. “Trump Had Superficial, Transactional View of Meng Extradition Case, Bolton Tells CBC Radio.” CBC Radio: The Current, June 26. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/bolton-interview-trump-current-1.5628262.
Canadian Press. 2018. “Trump Willingness to ‘Intervene’ on Huawei Case Leaves Canada in a Tough Spot Over Ex-diplomat’s Arrest.” Global News, December 12. https://globalnews.ca/news/4754297/trump-huawei-canada-arrest/.
Canadian Press. 2019. “McCallum Says Dropping Meng Extradition Would Be ‘Great’ for Canada: Report.” CTV News. January 25. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mccallum-says-dropping-meng-extradition-would-be-great-for-canada-report-1.4269945.
Carment, David and Richard Nimijean. 2020. “Canada’s China–U.S. Conundrum.” The Hill Times, February 24. https://www.hilltimes.com/2020/02/24/canadas-china-u-s-conundrum/235047.
Center for Systems Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. 2020. Mapping COVID-19. https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6.
Chapnick, Andrew, and Christopher Kukucha (eds.). 2016. The Harper Era in Canadian Foreign Policy: Parliament, Politics, and Canada’s Global Posture. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
Chase, Steven and Robert Fife. 2020a. “Canada and Its Allies Condemn China’s Hong Kong Crackdown as Tool for Political Persecution.” Globe and Mail, May 29. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-and-allies-say-chinas-hong-kong-crackdown-conflicts-with/.
Chase, Steven and Robert Fife. 2020b. “Trudeau Rejects Calls to Free Meng.” Globe and Mail, June 26. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-trading-meng-for-kovrig-and-spavor-would-put-more-canadians-at-risk-of/.
Chase, Steven and Robert Fife. 2020c. “Canada Starts Accepting Hong Kong Activists as Refugees.” Globe and Mail, October 7.
Clarkson, Stephen. 2015. “The Choice to Be Made.” In Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas, 3rd ed., edited by Duane Bratt and Christopher Kukucha, 92–108. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Connolly, Amanda. 2020. “’Many Questions’ After Report That WHO Praised China to Get COVID-19 Data: Trudeau.” Global News, June 2. https://globalnews.ca/news/7016947/coronavirus-justin-trudeau-who-china-report/.
Davidson, Helen. 2020. “Hong Kong Police Given Sweeping Powers Under New Security Law.” The Guardian, July 7. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/07/hong-kong-police-given-sweeping-powers-under-new-security-law.
Dobson, Wendy. 2019. Living with China: A Middle Power Finds Its Way. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Doran, Charles F. 2019. “The United States and Canada: In Search of Partnership.” In Canada–US Relations: Sovereignty or Shared Institutions. Canada Among Nations 2018, edited by David Carment and Christopher Sands, 17–38. Toronto: Palgrave Macmillan.
Evans, Paul. 2014. Engaging China: Myth, Aspiration, and Strategy in Canadian Policy from Trudeau to Harper. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Fife, Robert, Steven Chase, Andrea Woo, and Mike Hager. 2020. “Canada Braces for Economic Retaliation from China Following Meng Wanzhou Court Ruling.” The Globe and Mail, May 28. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-bc-judge-denies-early-attempt-by-meng-wanzhou-to-gain-her-freedom/.
Fife, Robert and Steven Chase. 2020. “Five Eyes Allies Urged to Lessen Dependence on China.” The Globe and Mail, May 21. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-fives-eyes-allies-urged-to-lessen-dependence-on-china/.
Fitz-Morris, James. 2015. “Justin Trudeau Tells Paris Climate Summit Canada Ready to Do More.” CBC News, November 30. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-address-climate-change-paris-1.3343394.
Flanagan, Ryan and Cillian O’Brien. 2019. “China to Resume Importing Beef and Pork from Canada.” CTV News, November 5. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/china-to-resume-importing-beef-and-pork-from-canada-1.4671186.
Freeland, Chrystia. 2017. “Address by Foreign Affairs Minister on the Modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).” Government of Canada, August 14. http://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2017/08/address_by_foreignaffairsministeronthemodernizationofthenorthame.html.
Gecelovsky, Paul and T.A. Keenleyside. 1995. “Canada’s International Human Rights Policy in Practice: Tiananmen Square.” International Journal 50 (3) (Summer): 564–593.
Hillmer, Norman, and Philip Lagassé (eds.). 2018. Justin Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Policy: Canada Among Nations 2017. Toronto: Palgrave Macmillan.
Johnson, Keith. 2019. “How Trump May Finally Kill the WTO.” Foreign Policy. December 9. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/12/09/trump-may-kill-wto-finally-appellate-body-world-trade-organization/.
Lilly, Meredith B. 2020. “Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water 2.0: How American and Chinese Economic Nationalism Influence Canadian Trade Policy in the Twenty-First Century.” Canadian Foreign Policy Journal 26 (2): 167–181.
Lim, Preston. 2020. “Sino-Canadian Relations in the Age of Justin Trudeau.” Canadian Foreign Policy Journal 26 (1): 25–40.
Lui, Andrew. 2013. “Sleeping with the Dragon: The Harper Government, China, and How Not to Do Human Rights.” In Canada in the World: Internationalism in Canadian Foreign Policy, edited by Heather A. Smith and Claire Turenne Sjolander, 90–107. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
MacDonald, Brennan and Vassy Kapelos. 2018. “Donald Trump Undermined Canada on Huawei Arrest, Says Former U.S. Ambassador.” CBC News, December 19. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-undermined-canada-huawei-arrest-1.4951409.
Manthorpe, Jonathan. 2019. Claws of the Panda: Beijing’s Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada. Toronto: Cormorant Books.
McCarten, James. 2020. “Kenney Slams China’s Handling of COVID-19, Calls for a ‘Great Reckoning’ for Country’s Role.” Global News, May 13. https://globalnews.ca/news/6940836/jason-kenney-china-covid-19-coronavirus/.
Nanos, Nik. 2020. “Canada Is Stuck Between Its Former Rock and an Increasingly Hard Place.” Globe and Mail, July 18.
Nossal, Kim Richard and Leah Sarson. 2014. “About Face: Explaining Changes in Canada’s China Policy, 2006–2012.” Canadian Foreign Policy Journal 20 (2): 146–162.
O’Toole, Erin. 2020a. “Erin O’Toole on COVID-19: We Are on the Brink of a New Cold War with China.” National Post, April 23. https://nationalpost.com/opinion/erin-otoole-on-covid-19-we-on-the-brink-of-a-new-cold-war-with-china.
O’Toole, Erin. 2020b. “Erin O’Toole: As Prime Minister, I Will Stand Up to China.” National Post, September 1. https://nationalpost.com/opinion/erin-otoole-as-prime-minister-i-will-stand-up-to-china.
Prime Minister of Canada. 2016. Joint Statement Between Canada and the People’s Republic of China. September 23. https:pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/09/23/joint-statement-between-canada-and-peoples-republic-china.
Robertson, Colin. 2020. What to Do About China: A Menu of Options. Ottawa: Canadian Global Affairs Institute, June.
Smythe, Elizabeth. 2015. “Canada and the Negotiation of Investment Rules: Open for Whose Business?” In Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas, 3rd ed., edited by Duane Bratt and Christopher Kukucha, 415–433. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Trudeau, Pierre, and Jacques Hébert. 1961. Two Innocents in Red China. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Trump, Donald. Twitter Post. November 9, 2017, 6:39 pm. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/928769154345324544?s=20.
United Nations, Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. 2018. Concluding Observations on the Combined Fourteenth to Seventeenth Periodic Reports of China (Including Hong Kong, China and Macao, China). CERD/C/CHN/CO/14-17. August 30.
United States Census Bureau. 2020. “Foreign Trade: Trade in Goods with China.” https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html#2016.
Vanderklippe, Nathan. 2020. “China Charges Kovrig and Spavor with Espionage.” Globe and Mail. June 20.
Vanderklippe, Nathan and Steven Chase. 2020. “Barton Takes Harder Line on China.” Globe and Mail, May 13.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bratt, D. (2021). Stuck in the Middle with You: Canada–China Relations in the Era of U.S.–China Clashes. In: Carment, D., Nimijean, R. (eds) Political Turmoil in a Tumultuous World. Canada and International Affairs. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70686-9_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70686-9_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-70685-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-70686-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)