An unacceptable security risk

Dear Editor:

In mid-January the Chinese government began scouring the globe for PPE to protect their population from COVID-19. This was after suppressing the news of the breakout in Wuhan, and while still minimizing the threats of the virus in their dealings with the World Health Organization.

Chinese diplomats, commercial interests and expatriate communities around the world, including those in Canada, were mobilized to procure all available PPE for the motherland. They secured more than 2 billion protective masks and other essentials, including a reported 56 tons of PPE from Canada. Our government also furnished an additional 16 tons of PPE from our inadequate national stockpiles.

Chinese production of PPE was accelerated with export restrictions placed on Chinese based suppliers, including Canadian-owned Medicom. The Chinese were impressive in securing their health security while downplaying the extent of the problem. Should they be faulted for their shrewdness?

We’re still scrambling to locate additional sources for PPE, mostly from China. We’ve received quantities of their masks, including 9 million defective ones. But beggars can’t be choosers. It’s galling to be looking for salvation from the place where the problem started.

Justin Trudeau is timid about criticizing the performance of the Chinese on COVID19 or anything else, including their moves on Hong Kong. No doubt he fears losing access to Chinese PPE supplies and obstruction of his Security Council bid.

Surprisingly, the Chinese have agreed to an inquiry into their dealings with the WHO. They’ve taken a black eye on COVID19 and want to get their global economic strategy back on track. We should anticipate a whitewash and business as usual.

The Communist Chinese regime exerts considerable influence in Canada through their penetrations into government, business, academic institutions and Chinese expatriate communities. This is a concern for CSIS, if not for their political masters, academics and business leaders.

Espionage and intellectual property theft continues. Last fall, a Chinese mole was found at the head of the RCMP intelligence service. Can’t we ever say no to the Chinese?

Dealing with the Chinese regime is always on their terms, and they’ll bite back with boycotts of our agricultural products. At least they won’t obstruct our coal, oil and gas supplies. We’re doing that ourselves.

We face a decision point on the construction of our 5G information networks and Huawei wants the contract. Huawei answers to the Chinese regime on everything. That’s an unacceptable security risk. John Thompson

Kaleden