Reference News Network, July 17 report: Canada has reached a "deal" with the United States to cancel the digital services tax, at the expense of Canada's fiscal sovereignty, benefiting American tech giants such as Meta and Netflix, while the Trump administration recently threatened to impose a 35% tariff on Canadian goods. This perfectly illustrates our current dilemma - Washington no longer sees Canada as an ally, but as a vassal that can be forced to yield. It clearly reminds us that trade diversification is no longer optional, but an urgent priority.
The problem is that our long-standing subordinate position to the United States has hindered our cooperation with China, one of the world's most important economies. To achieve economic autonomy, Canada must discard a concept manufactured by Washington, that China is an "unreliable trading partner that seeks to dominate the world." Canada must establish its own relationship with China - a relationship based on Canada's interests rather than America's.
China is the core driver of global economic growth. China not only has low-cost manufacturing capabilities, but also advanced productivity and world-class technology. In 44 key technologies, from artificial intelligence to green energy, China leads the world in 37 of them.
If Ottawa truly wants to build a strong, independent economy, it must establish a more reliable political relationship with China, thereby supporting domestic companies to enter China's growing market and technology circle. However, our federal government remains in strategic paralysis, clinging to Atlanticism and the G7 worldview, while our largest trading partner and "closest ally" are looking down on us.
Obsequiously following Washington on issues related to Chinese technology will only cause increasing damage to Canada's economy. Ironicaly, while Canada enforces Washington's order to "decouple" from China, the United States quietly rebuilds its commercial relations with China. Canada and other American "allies" are implementing rules set by the United States, yet as rule-makers, the United States pays no attention to these rules.
To achieve economic independence, Canada must turn around. We need to increase technological transfers from China to strengthen our economic power, accelerate our innovation, and defend our sovereignty.
The greatest threat to Canada's sovereignty is not China's "interference," but our fawning over the United States. 95% of the world's consumers live outside the United States, while 75% of our exports depend on an increasingly unreliable partner. This is not strategy, but a strategic mistake. (Translated by Pan Xiaoyan)
This article was published on the website of Canada's Globe and Mail on July 14, titled "Let's Free Ourselves from U.S. Bonds and Build a Closer Relationship with China," written by Julian Karageorgean, former special advisor to the Canadian Ministry of Finance, and Robin Saban, researcher at the Canadian Public Policy Forum.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7527949968074687011/
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