Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joydenounced Wednesday, November 9, 2022 a China “which is increasingly disrupting the world orderon the eve of a tour in the Indo-Pacific region. According to the head of Canadian diplomacy, Canada must “increase its influence” in the region believe that the “Status quo is not an option“.

“Canada will not apologize for defending its national interests. We will not apologize for trying to enforce global rules“, she continued. The Canadian government recently made access to its rare minerals difficult and ordered Chinese companies to divest their stakes in Canadian companies in the sector, citing “National security“.

Increase in military presence

China-Canada relations have steadily deteriorated in recent years after Canada arrested Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in 2018. Ottawa, which Mélanie Joly also pledged, will continue to denounce China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities, Hong Kong’s repression of freedom of expression and threats against Taiwan.

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However, the minister insisted that her policy is not aimed at discouraging trade with China, which has become Canada’s second largest trading partner. “If necessary, we will defy China. We will cooperate with China if necessary“, underlined the minister, mentioning the holding of the COP15 on biodiversity in Montreal in December, chaired by China.

Mélanie Joly also mentioned the strengthening of Canada’s military presence in the Pacific and the addition of experts responsible for analyzing the regional impact of Chinese policies in their embassies.

foreign interference

Despite an easing of ties following the release of Meng Wanzhou and two Canadians arrested in retaliation, the latter have cooled off in recent months. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week condemned the “aggressive gamesthat China engages with Canadian democracies and institutions.

There was a recent report of foreign interference in elections in Canada, and Ottawa authorities launched an investigation into illegal Chinese police stations in the greater Toronto area.

Mélanie Joly has to attend several summits in the region with Justin Trudeau: that of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, that of the G20 in Bali, Indonesia and that of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum .