Canada’s push to deepen economic ties with China jeopardizes national security, democratic values, and crucial alliances warn critics; they urge prioritizing repairing U.S. relations instead.

By Carolina Avendano | The Epoch Times

Some premiers expressed support for closer trade ties with China last week as a way to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States amid rising tariff tensions. There have also been recent newspaper commentaries echoing Beijing’s position that Canada should forge a closer relationship with China.

Read the original report at the publisher’s website here.

In Brief by Probe International

Amid escalating U.S. trade tensions, some Canadian premiers and commentators are advocating for closer economic ties with China, driven by corporate profit motives and political resistance to Trump-era policies. Catherine Swift, a business coalition leader, warns that while businesses seek cheaper costs and market access, Canada must weigh Beijing’s unfair practices—including dumping (selling products to another country at a price below their normal value), human rights abuses, and election interference—which outweigh potential benefits.

Critics, including Chinese dissident Sheng Xue and former diplomat Michael Kovrig, argue that engagement risks naively emboldening the CCP’s exploitative tactics, such as transnational repression and economic predation, rather than fostering reform. Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s shifting stance—from condemning China’s trade practices to conditional openness—highlights the political divide over balancing economic interests with democratic values.

Closer ties could alienate G7 and Five Eyes allies, as seen in past Huawei 5G disputes, inviting U.S. distrust and weakening strategic cooperation. U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra underscores China as America’s top security threat, urging solidarity among democracies. Swift and Sheng call for prioritizing the centuries-old U.S. partnership over short-term gains, warning that aligning with Beijing risks legitimizing its coercion and eroding Canada’s economic and democratic foundations. The consensus: repairing U.S. relations, not courting China, remains critical to safeguarding national interests and global standing.

Related Reading

More Overseas Pro-Democracy Activists Targeted by Hong Kong National Security Bounty