Zhou Rongyao (周荣耀)
Editor's Note:
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper started his visit to China yesterday, accompanied by five of his ministers. What will be the main focus of Harper's visit? Where will Canada strengthen cooperation with China? With these questions, Global Times (GT) reporter Xu Ming talked to Zhou Rongyao (Zhou), director of Canadian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
GT: What will be on the focus of Harper's visit?
Zhou: The economy will be the main focus of this visit, as we can see from the members of the visiting delegation, which includes the ministers for economy, trade and agriculture.
Against the background of global recession, the Chinese economy is performing better than most countries. Given the present circumstance, there is great mutual demand for deepening economic and trade cooperation.
Canada regards this as a good opportunity to improve bilateral relations. In recent several years, the Sino-Canadian relationship has been lukewarm. But in the past two years, the bilateral relationship began to warm, especially after Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Canada in June 2010.
Given the present state of the relationship, if Canada wants to improve its relationship with China, it needs something to pave the way.
In this sense, strengthening bilateral economic cooperation will provide a good chance for a step forward to improve the overall bilateral relationship.
Harper will prioritize economic issues in this visit. Harper is consciously trying to improve the ties between the two sides.
GT: Some observers said that Harper's visit indicates a huge change in Canada's policy toward China, given his previous tough stance on China's human rights issues. What's your view?
Zhou: I can hardly see it as a big change. Even though the bilateral relationship between the two countries in the past has been neither too hot nor too cold, it was not very bad. It is not appropriate to say that there has been a big change in Canada's policy toward China.
The tough stance on human rights is not a good reason, because the disagreements have been there in the past and other Western countries are even tougher on this.
The thing is, given the current international situation, Canada wants to find more ways to push its economic development. So unlike in the past, it realizes the importance of paying due attention to China, the second largest economy in the world. This is very normal.
Canada has been pragmatic in its policies. Even though it has a long-standing and strong relationship with the US, it also complains about problems in its ties with the US at times.
GT: There are experts who regard Harper's visit to China as an open warning to the US since the latter rejected a proposed pipeline from Canada to Texas. Do you think so?
Zhou: I disagree. Economic problems and moves can hardly be interpreted as a political warning. All countries regard the economy as of supreme importance. If possible, they will try to avoid it associating with politics. It is inappropriate to directly associate the rejection of the US pipeline with Harper's visit to China. It is not necessary for Canada to warn the US by using China at the moment.
While the world is experiencing recession, it is reasonable for Canada to turn to more options, explore more channels to drive its economy and diversify the channels for its energy exports.
GT: What are the factors that caused the previously lukewarm relationship between China and Canada?
Zhou:As far as I'm concerned, since Canada's economic reliance on China is not as obvious as that of other countries, Canada's relation with China looks different from other Western countries.
Canada's interests don't involve China as much, thus it doesn't pay as much attention to its relations with China and presents a tougher stance on China-related issues, as exhibited in its stance on China's human rights and Harper's rejection of his invitation to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.
As for the different parties in Canada, even though they may have differences in their policies, there will be little discrepancy on important topics like Canada's policy toward China.
Obviously, Sino-Canadian economic relations are paving the way for the development of their relations in other fields. If the economic basis is well made, it will naturally help the improvement of the overall bilateral relationship.
The lingering problems in Sino-Canadian relationship are still the old differences on values and on international affairs. Such factors have always been there, but the current signs of the two countries' attempt to improve their relationship shows that these problems will not be obstacles to the development of the bilateral relationship.
Differences are unavoidable. But the relationship continues to develop and problems can be solved through talks.
GT: In what ways do you think the two countries will enhance cooperation? What're your expectations of the Sino-Canadian relationship?
Zhou: The two countries will explore channels of economic cooperation. Canada is a rather open country. More Chinese are immigrating to Canada, though some treat Canada as a springboard to the US. The two countries are talking much more than before.
I hope that the bilateral relationship will greatly improve. This is also the hope of the majority of people of both countries.