Standing strong against China’s bully tactics

Not so long ago, Justin Trudeau was talking about Canada standing side by side with China to work out a wonderful new trade deal.

Today, a sadder but wiser man, the prime minister is talking only about standing up to the authoritarian Asian superpower.

It’s a stark and profound shift, not just in the tougher tone he’s taking with China but in the way he’s redefining an entire relationship that still matters greatly to Canada. Given China’s bullying behaviour over the past six months, however, the change is justified.

“China is playing stronger, making stronger moves than it has before to try and get its own way on the world stage,” Trudeau told an audience in Sept-Isles, Que., last week before adding: “Western countries and democracies around the world are pulling together to point out that this is not something that we need to continue to allow.”

Strong words. Necessary words — even if they fail to persuade China’s leaders to behave better and, indeed, make them angrier. But what a change from the days the prime minister hoped closer trade ties to China could lessen Canada’s economic dependence on the United States.

It all started to go wrong last December when Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou, an executive with Chinese telecom giant Huawei, in response to an American extradition request.

In short order, China arrested two Canadians — former diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor. In Trudeau’s opinion, the two men were “arbitrarily detained” and “for political reasons.”

Polite, diplomatic efforts on Canada’s part to free Kovrig and Spavor have gone nowhere. While Meng is out on bail, living in one of her opulent Vancouver mansions, the Canadian men have spent most of the past six months being interrogated for eight hours a day when they’re not isolated in tiny cells that are lighted 24-hours a day. When Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland tries to speak to her Chinese counterpart, her calls are ignored.

But the arrests and their aftermath were just the first sign of China’s ire. Imports of Canadian canola seed and Canadian pork were suddenly cancelled by China, leaving farmers and agribusinesses in this country reeling. Then, late last week, China’s ambassador to Canada, Lu Shaye, said relations between the two countries are at a “freezing point” and the only way for Canada to set things right is to free Huawei’s Meng so she can return to China.

Although Canada’s attorney general has the power to overturn an extradition order, it’s premature to entertain such a scenario. Meng’s extradition hearing won’t commence for months. Trudeau can’t shortcircuit a court doing its duty.

He can, however, call on Canada’s allies to speak up on our behalf, which he has done and which convinced the Americans to ask China to release the two Canadians. Trudeau also supported the Canadian MPs and senators who travelled to China last week to press for Spavor and Kovrig’s release.

And he can plant his feet firmly on Canadian soil and call China out, knowing full well Canada dwarfs it in population as well as economic and military might.

The thorny decision over whether China’s Huawei should have a role in the next generation of Canada’s wireless networks remains for another day. For now, the open-armed shift to China is over. The tilt back to our traditional allies, including the America of the erratic Donald Trump, is in full swing.

Henceforth, China will be considered an important but difficult-to-manage business partner. But a bosom Canadian buddy? For now, forget it.