Clambering Ascent

"China asked Canada to consider the feasibility of an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) as part of a study into the ways in which the Canadian and Chinese economies are complimentary.

"Canada accepted China's proposal for an economic study and to consider an FTA thereafter."  Briefing note for Canada's resource minister

And here we assumed that Canada was going cap in hand to China, miffed over the U.S. delay of the oil pipeline that has been the subject of so much environmental rejection.  Not so, for it appears that in 2010 China made overtures to Canada.  And those are powerful overtures; China has overtaken Japan as Canada's second-largest trading partner, next to the U.S.

We're tired of being taken for granted by our neighbour, who has always seemed to give us second-class status.  It's not just this government that has begun to swirl about wildly looking at other trading options; South America, the European Union, the Pacific Group, India - to get a little relief from one-partner reliance to advance our economic interests.  Others have tried that route before, going back to P.E. Trudeau who at that time wanted to build a more robust trade with Europe.

It always seemed to be a Liberal thing to do; look elsewhere than the U.S. to advance our trade opportunities.  And relish resentment of the United States.  As for the U.S. itself; its relationship with itself and its own interests are always and ever and will always be thus, more important than any kind of relationship it may temporarily curry with a trading partner.  They're that populous, wealthy and powerful.

And plan to stay that way.  So any kind of trade relationship with that colossus is one that will always be lop-sided; to the greater advantage of the United States than any other state it may trade with.  Congress sees to that.  And American producers and manufacturers launch very powerful lobbies; their elected representatives listen carefully and act on those lobbying efforts.

Canada has been most forcefully and diplomatically burnishing its relationship with China since Jean Chretien's famous dog-and-pony trade trips.  Which have stood him personally in very good stead in his private professional life; all those Chinese contacts of state and municipal authorities who like the personal touch, like Jean Chretien.

"Most, if not all of the time it's us out there chasing down the partners", commented the executive director of Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance.  There is speculation that China is interested in using Canada as a first initiative before taking on more important partners like the United States and European Union.  Of course there is always the inroads that China has made in parts of Africa, to act in that capacity.

A recent survey of Canadians involved in Asia through their professional, research or personal interests resulted in responses that over half see merit in prioritizing trade talks with China over other trade partners like Japan, India and the European Union.  Self-interest, of course, since that's where their focus us.  But Japan, India and the EU don't represent potential threats of swallowing Canada whole for its resources.

China is monstrously huge, with an omniverous appetite, almost insatiable for energy and mineral resources to further its growing economic interests and achieving world dominance in manufacturing and trade.  It has an interior need to keep its burgeoning and still-growing population busy, distracted with growth and emerging personal wealth, diverted from political engagement contesting government.

If China is unable to continue meeting its growth requirements with energy and materials to keep those coal-fired factory smokestacks churning out choking black smoke and cheap manufactured goods, a growing number of young, virile and unemployed men and women become restless and become fodder for activists seeking to grow their political clout.

China would prefer ongoing respect for its communist-commerce amalgam that has proved so successful in growing its middle class and along with that its international power structure, closing in on challenging the United States for the refined and defining classification as world's most powerful nation.

Resource-wealthy, trade-anxious Canada represents yet another sturdy step on that still-wobbly ladder.