The ambition is clear: to become an “authentic and reliable partner” in relation to China. the Canada presented a C$2.3 billion envelope on Sunday to strengthen its presence and influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Ottawa in particular, plans to strengthen its military capabilities in the Pacific, in particular by sending a frigate, developing trade and investment, supporting “international aid”. feminist ‘, funding ‘sustainable’ infrastructure and strengthening Canada’s diplomatic network, according to a State Department press release.

“The future of the Indo-Pacific is ours; we have a role to play in the design. For this we have to be a real and reliable partner among the western allies,” argued the head of the federal government diplomacy Canadian Mélanie Joly in this press release. “This strategy sends a clear message: Canada is present in the region and will stay here,” she said.

“Doing business in China carries a geopolitical risk”

This roadmap aims to “deepen our engagement in the Indo-Pacific over the next decade and increase our contribution to peace and security in the region,” the document says. This strategy will be presented after a tour of the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mélanie Joly in the region, who attended several summits: that of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asian) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, that of the G20 in Bali, Indonesia and that of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (Apec), in Bangkok.

Canada, which is at odds with China, does not hide the fact that its strategy for the region was formulated in response to Chinese influence Beijing. “There is a fundamental problem with the fact that China currently does not respect international standards and tries to change or interpret them for its own benefit,” the minister told the Quebec newspaper. The press. “There is a geopolitical risk to doing business in China,” she said.