CHINA IS NO FRIEND TO CANADIAN FARMERS

Canada’s agriculture industry needs to recognize it is “not dealing with a friendly regime” when it comes to China and should focus its Asian growth ambitions on countries like Japan, Taiwan and South Korea instead.

That’s according to B.C.-based international affairs commentator Jonathan Manthorpe, who was part of a panel discussion on China at the 20th annual Global Business Forum in Banff on Friday. Manthorpe, the author of Claws of the Panda: Beijing’s Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada, said China’s decision to block imports of Canadian canola, pork and beef in the wake of Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou last December is proof Canada has overestimated the strength of its relationship with China.

“I think this has to be a lesson that you can’t deal with China like any other country that abides by the law and diplomatic norms. And in that respect, we’ve been a bit naive in the past,” Manthorpe said in an interview. “Canadian farmers are in a difficult position because they are collateral damage on this.”