Question Period Note: Canada-China Bilateral Relations

Issues related to Canada-China Bilateral Relations

• Canada will not stand by when China violates human rights and flouts international norms; our evolving approach acknowledges the complexity of the relationship and follows a four-fold approach: challenge; compete; cooperate; co-exist.
• Make no mistake; we will continue to pursue our interests with China based on international rules, Canada's values, and results for Canadians.
• As the Prime Minister indicated on December 8, 2021, repeated serious human rights violations by the Chinese government have led Canada to not send any diplomatic representation to the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Canada expects that China, as this year's Olympic host, will uphold important values and responsibilities, as well as its international human rights obligations.

• Canada also recognizes the necessity of engagement with China to address global challenges posed by climate change and the environment.

In response to a more assertive and authoritarian Chinese government under President Xi Jinping, Canada's policy approach is evolving to respond effectively to China's behavior, in the domestic, bilateral, regional and multilateral spheres. Canadian concerns include China's coercive foreign policy, as demonstrated by its use of aggressive political and economic levers to punish Canada (and others), as well as its efforts to shape the rules-based international order in ways inimical to Canada's interests. At the same time, it remains in Canada's interest to work with China on global issues such as the environment and climate change, or the global economic recovery from COVID-19. China is also an important market for Canadian commodity and agri-food exports, and its growing and increasingly discerning consumer market offers further opportunities for Canadian businesses.

The arbitrary detention of the Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in 2018 had a deep impact on the Canadian public. Following their return to Canada on Sept. 25, 2021, Canada and China agreed to take a step-by-step approach to bilateral relations, with further engagement predicated on concrete steps by China to resolve outstanding bilateral issues. Canada continues to have ongoing concerns over unresolved consular cases and market access issues in canola, pork, and beef. Canada will also continue to be vocal in expressing its concerns about China's human rights violations (e.g. systemic violations of human rights and forced labour in Xinjiang; shrinking democratic space in Hong Kong), its challenges to the rules-based international order, and foreign interference.

On Jan. 14, 2019, China arbitrarily sentenced Canadian Mr. Robert Schellenberg to death, following a swift retrial and overturning a previous sentence of 15 years of imprisonment. The Government of Canada has requested clemency for Mr. Schellenberg.

In response to China's human rights record, and in relation to its role as host of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in February, PM Trudeau announced on Dec. 8, 2021, that Canada would not be sending any diplomatic representation to the Beijing Winter Games.

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