Economists worry growing conflict with China will make Canada and the world poorer

[ad_1]

Canada’s domestic politics have helped escalate the latest dispute between Beijing and Ottawa into the expulsion of diplomats.

While some experts who track the relationship between China and Canada play the spat down – one called “pretty insignificant” – it is another crack contributing to the long-term rupture far more dangerous.

Labeled “global fragmentation,” the problem was announced at the meeting of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. Canada’s current dispute may represent the further fragmentation of the world into competing trade blocs that not only make us all poorer, but also hinder important negotiations. on shared global threats, including climate change and artificial intelligence.

The economic impact of diplomacy

Critics of the Canadian government’s handling of threats against Conservative Michael Chong’s family in Hong Kong will not see the issue as trivial.

After being pressed by Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly called out “China’s interference in our internal affairs” while accusing Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei. persona non grata. As expected, in response China expelled Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde.

Although less significant than previous disputes with Beijing, which in the past have led to long-term imprisonment of innocent Canadians and may result in ongoing trade sanctions, the latest Canada-China spat is just one sign of the hostility between the world’s free markets. democracy and what appears to be an emerging alternative bloc.

Conservative Foreign Minister Michael Chong goes up in Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, November 14, 2022.
Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong pressed the government to act after his brother was threatened by China, prompting tit-for-tat expulsions by Canada and China. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
Just this week, China vowed to retaliate against European sanctions against Chinese companies accused of aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine. Also this week, the US government announced it had arrested Litang Liang, an American citizen accused of showing friends and enemies in China in the United States.

“Although we need more international cooperation in many areas, we face the specter of a new Cold War that could see the world fragment into competing economic blocs,” the IMF chief said.

[ad_2]

Source link

Leave a Reply