Should Canada Trade with China?

Q: Based on Trust and Respect, with whom should Canada conduct more business and trade, the US or China?

A:

Trust and respect are built through long-term cultural and people-to-people exchange. China used to trust and respect Canada until Canada kidnapped Meng Wanzhou. The trust and respect were destroyed. Canada used to trust and respect the US until Trump imposed tariffs to attack the Canadian economy and threaten to annex Canada.

Now, Canada would prefer to resume trust and respect with the US. Canada has done a lot in this aspect in 2025 for a whole year without success. Canada is reluctant to resume trust and respect with China, but the ball is in Canada's court. Canada put a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs, a gesture to the US for trust and respect. China was not Canada’s choice so far.

But the Canadian economy is down. Homelessness and inflation are up, but politicians still fantasize about allying with the US to contain China. China’s retaliation is measured and prudent, leaving the door open for resuming trust and respect.

Does Canada want more business and trade? Where can we get business and trade? Carney visited Europe, Britain, Japan, India, and many other countries, looking for business and trade. But only China has opportunities.

Some politicians prefer the economic downturn to doing business and trade with China. They don’t care if homelessness increases. They don’t feel the economic pain. They are the elite who can maintain their celebrity lifestyle even in a struggling economy. They are OK if it is Britain, France, or Germany to replace the US. But China? They cannot accept it.

What should Canada do? It depends on the political goal. Ideologically, Canada should do business and trade with the US. The problem is that the US does not want to do business or trade with Canada unless Canada accepts the unequal terms. Ideologically, Canada should not do business and trade with China, even if China is asking for mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

What can Canada do? Canada can choose to do business and trade with China or let the economy go down the drain.

It is a choice between pragmatic and ideological. It is a choice between prosperity and deterioration. Each Canadian has his or her choice. Canadians can support trade and business with China, or let society deteriorate with increasing homelessness, unaffordable housing, drug abuse, long waiting times for healthcare, strikes now and then, and increasing violent crimes. The decline of the economy brings a lot of social problems. And all the sacrifices will not fulfill the geopolitical goal of containing China. The sacrifices are futile. China continues to grow at a rapid pace, despite Canada's reluctance to engage in business and trade.

Do you prefer a poor Canada by stirring up a riot in Hong Kong? Do you mind the government increasing its debt to cover more military expenses, such as sending warships to the South China Sea? Why does Canada want to confront China at the expense of economic growth?

A more peaceful world is the best national security. Spending more on the military to provoke China will not bring better national security. Building trust and respect with more countries, especially a country with a large population and economic size, is in the best interest of Canada.

China is advocating no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation. China has a vision of a shared future for mankind. China prefers common prosperity for all. Canada should, for the conscience of mankind, conduct more business and trade with China.