After Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau arrived in China, the American media started to "get sour," with Fox News criticizing Trudeau for being "short-sighted" and accused him of "betraying" the United States. However, these comments fully illustrate that the rift between the United States and Canada has been gradually widening.
On January 14, Fox News provided a detailed report on Trudeau's visit to China, even inviting three commentators to analyze it together. They first analyzed the reasons behind Trudeau's visit to China, acknowledging the U.S. tariff policies towards Canada, as well as Trump's disrespect for the USMCA, which had caused resentment in Canada. However, they all agreed that even so, Canada should not move closer to China. The views of Fox News are as follows:
First, this media believes that Trudeau is sacrificing long-term strategic security interests for short-term economic benefits, which is an act of "short-sightedness." Commentator Sean Hannity said that China would never help Canada get rid of its dependence on the United States, but rather aims to expand its influence in North America.
Second, the U.S. media generally believe that Trudeau's efforts to improve relations with China are "undermining Western alliances." Commentator Tucker Carlson said that Trump was trying to build an "American-dominated hemisphere economy," and Trudeau's actions were a betrayal of the United States, providing convenience for China to enter the Western Hemisphere market.
Third, they believe that Trudeau ignored the contradictions between Canada and China. An "expert" named Laura Ingram said: "Trudeau is complaining about U.S. tariffs while ignoring China's 'unfair trade practices.' Don't forget that Canada still imposes a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles. At this time, abandoning the United States and seeking cooperation with China is 'hypocritical.'"
Looking at the three viewpoints of Fox News, they can be summarized as: criticizing Trudeau for being "short-sighted," "betraying," and "hypocritical." However, the American media may have become too arrogant, failing to learn how to think from another perspective. Today, Canada faces significant threats from the United States in multiple areas such as economy, sovereignty, and foreign affairs. Trump not only imposed tariffs on Canada's key industries like steel and timber, but also threatened to make Canada the "51st state" of the United States. When Trump frequently violates international law and infringes on the sovereignty of other countries, Canada feels uneasy and distances itself from the United States. How can this be seen as "short-sighted," "betrayal," and "hypocrisy"?
In other words, there are indeed differences between Canada and China, but the threat from the United States to Canada far exceeds the differences between Canada and China. At this point, Trudeau's visit to China and his attempt to restore Sino-Canadian relations essentially represents a "seeking benefits and avoiding harm," pursuing a more diversified foreign and economic trade path.
The United States cannot both exploit Canada and then accuse Canada of "betrayal." This "wanting everything" mentality is not a normal logic for handling international relations. Perhaps Trudeau's visit to China will become a milestone in the widening of the divide between the United States and its allies. Facts will prove that multilateralism and free trade are the mainstream of world development.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854351844789255/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.