Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly speaks during a reception in Gatineau, Que. on Oct. 26, 2022.Blair Gable/Reuters
China’s chief diplomat told Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly Friday that Beijing wants to “inject momentum into the restoration of normal relations,” but said the Asian power will brook no criticism of human-rights abuses or its menacing threats to the island democracy of Taiwan.
Foreign Minster Wang Yi sat down with Ms. Joly in Beijing to discuss what he called the “difficulties and twists and turns” in Sino-Canadian relations that have been strained for nearly six years. The trip to China by Ms. Joly was an attempt to reopen channels of dialogue.
Relations fractured after China imprisoned Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in late 2018 in retaliation for Ottawa’s detention of a senior Huawei executive on a U.S. extradition warrant. China was also angered by revelations of its extensive influence operations in Canadian domestic affairs that led to a public inquiry into foreign interference.
In the Chinese readout of the meeting, Mr. Wang said the two countries have extensive common interests and they must work to improve bilateral relations and “move forward along a healthy and stable track.”
“Both sides should return to their original aspirations, reflect on the past, grasp the right direction, draw lessons from history, earnestly abide by the commitments made in establishing diplomatic relations, and inject momentum into the restoration of normal relations between the two countries,” he said.
But Mr. Wang made clear to Ms. Joly that China will not tolerate criticism of Beijing’s record in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet or Taiwan. China has come under international opprobrium for its repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, its quashing of democracy and dissent in Hong Kong, its annexation and suppression of Tibet, and its increased menacing of the self-governed democracy of Taiwan.
Mr. Wang did not mention his country’s influence operations in Canada, including election interference, Chinese police stations and bullying of diaspora communities. But the statement said the foreign minister told Ms. Joly that China has a long-standing policy of “non-interference in internal affairs” of other countries.
Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian ambassador to China from 2012 to 2016, said the tough conditions laid down by Mr. Wang are the standard language that he also used in recent talks with Australia.
“Let’s restore relations but on our terms and no criticism will be allowed on what they consider their red lines,” Mr. Saint-Jacques said. “It puts the onus on us to agree and I would say all of this is unacceptable to Canada. We have to agree to disagree.”
In the readout from Global Affairs, the department said Ms. Joly said Canada would continue to “defend our democracy and the values it has always stood for, including human rights.” She also appeared to criticize Chinese diplomats for interfering in Canadian democracy.
Last year, Ms. Joly expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei after The Globe reported Beijing had targeted Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong in an attempt to gain leverage over the MP.
“Minister Joly reiterated the importance of diplomatic relations that fully respect the Vienna conventions on consular and diplomatic relations, which codify the rules for the exchange, treatment, and behaviour of representatives abroad, and form the bedrock for the conduct of mutually respectful relations,” the readout said.
The Canadian readout also said Ms. Joly reaffirmed Ottawa will continue to abide by the one-China policy. Under this country’s policy, the Canadian government does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state and does not maintain official, government-to-government relations with Taipei.
By warning Ottawa against talking about matters such as Taiwan, the Chinese government appears to be placing conditions on further development of the Canada-China relationship.
Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said the language on Taiwan is concerning. She said any stabilization of the Canada-China relationship should not come at the expense of deepening relations with Taiwan. Canada last year signed an important investment deal with Taiwan to grant protection to business investors from each other’s country.
“The year 2023 was a landmark in Taiwan-Canada relations,” Ms. Nadjibulla said. “So we need to make sure that we don’t self-censor when it comes to our engagement with Taiwan.”
The Chinese Communist Party, which seized power in China in 1949, has never ruled Taiwan, where nationalist forces retreated after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong more than 70 years ago. Chinese President Xi Jinping has not ruled out using force to seize Taiwan and has stepped up efforts to menace the island.
Canada has not recognized Taiwan as a sovereign state since 1970, when then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau switched diplomatic relations to Communist-led China, but maintains strong informal ties.
Ms. Nadjibulla said the Chinese government’s statement on the meeting suggests it was wide-ranging and likely reflects a number of agenda items important to Canada, including the desire to increase the number of direct air flights, discussion about illegal shipments to Canada of the deadly opioid fentanyl or ingredients to make it, as well as continued collaboration on environmental protections.
She said Canadians should take note that Ms. Joly’s Beijing stop was sandwiched between substantial visits to South Korea and Japan, two of the most important allies for Ottawa’s Indo-Pacific strategy. It’s “significant that we’re anchoring whatever stabilization or whatever dialogue we have with China, with a deepening of partnership with our democratic allies,” she said.
Among other topics discussed were the tariffs Canada is considering on Chinese-made electric vehicles. The two ministers also spoke about taking steps to facilitate personnel and cultural exchanges.
“Beijing should make a first step to allow tourist groups to come to Canada,” Mr. Saint-Jacques said. “They have not done that nor have they given permission for Canadians to travel to China visa-free.”
Both ministers said they discussed the Ukrainian crisis, where China has been accused of providing weapon parts to Russia, as well as the Israel-Gaza conflict.
They agreed to keep open lines of communication and committed to hold regular discussions at the ministerial level on a range of topics, including trade, security and peace.