本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Harper commits to China visit in interview
BRIAN LAGHI AND STEVEN CHASE

Globe and Mail Update

September 23, 2008 at 10:07 PM EDT

OTTAWA, VANCOUVER — Stephen Harper has committed to making a visit to China, after 21/2 years of sometimes testy relations with the economic superpower.

In an interview with a Chinese newspaper and radio station, Mr. Harper says that it's untrue that his government has had strained relations with China, and that he wants to maintain an open discussion with the world's most populous country and economic juggernaut.

Mr. Harper has not yet visited China and has been criticized by some for not doing so during the recent Olympic Games.

“I'm looking forward to visiting China at some point in the future,” Mr. Harper said in an interview with the Chinese language daily newspaper Sing Tao last week. The comments were also posted on A1 Chinese Radio in Toronto.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper reads from a teleprompter as he has a media availability session in Saskatoon on Tuesday.
Enlarge Image

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper reads from a teleprompter as he has a media availability session in Saskatoon on Tuesday. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)
Videos
00:02:08

Harper attacked over arts funding

Stephen Harper unapologetically appealed to working-class Canadians in defending his approach to the arts

Play Video
Related Articles

From the archives

* Ottawa aims to put its stamp on 2010 Games
* Personal financial interest behind Chrétien attack on PM's China policy, Kenney says
* Harper, Dion ratchet up election talk
* Harper no-show at Games an error, Chrétien says
* A visit from Harper would be 'nice'
* No plans yet for Harper appearance at Games
* Games will highlight rights issues in China, PM says
* All countries worried about their economies, Harper says
* Shuffle reaffirms Emerson in Foreign Affairs
* Premiers considering trade mission to China

Photogallery

* Reader photos of the campaign

Internet Links

* Your political cartoons Popup
* Election 2.0: Globe stories, photos, graphics, quizzes, interactives, columns, opinion, games and more
* Send us: Your election photos, videos and political cartoons
* The lighter side: Best from The Globe's cartoonists
* Who's ahead: Poll of Polls

The Globe and Mail

“We'll keep a dialogue with our Chinese counterparts at all levels and keep the channels of communications open.”

Mr. Harper has not said when a visit would take place.

However, any trip to China would probably occur in relative proximity to a leader-level visit between Canada and India.

That's because the Harper government has expressed great fondness for India given that the South Asian nation shares common values and heritage with Canada as a democracy and former British colony.

It has put India and its massive middle class on an equal footing with China in foreign trade policy statements and has been careful not to snub New Delhi by giving the impression of favouring Beijing.

Official relations with India improved significantly at the end of July with the removal of a long-standing irritant, which should pave the way for a leader-level visit between Canada and India – and by extension, a Harper visit to Beijing.

On July 31, Canada changed its policy on nuclear non-proliferation to accommodate India's entry into the club of countries that can trade openly in nuclear fuel and technology, despite its nuclear weapons programs.

India's emergence as an economic power is one reason Canada overlooked concerns about making it an exception to the world's non-proliferation rules, despite Pakistan's warning it could spark an Asian arms race and Canada's own sour history with India's nuclear ambitions.

In the interview, Mr. Harper did not apologize for his government's approach to relations with the country, characterizing them as frank.

“It's not true that we've had bad relations, but what is true is that when we disagree, we've been frank with them.”

Unlike many of his Western counterparts, Mr. Harper did not visit China for the recent Olympic Games.

Chinese leaders were livid when in October, 2007, Mr. Harper met the Dalai Lama, who opposes China's occupation of Tibet.

At one point, in late 2006, Mr. Harper said he would not “sell out” human rights in search of improving trade relations and was willing to risk a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao at the APEC summit in Hanoi.

But the Harper government appears to have tried to warm relations, particularly with the appointment earlier this year of David Emerson as Foreign Affairs minister. Last month, Mr. Emerson said it would be “very, very nice to see the Prime Minister come to China.”

At the time, the PMO would not say when or if Mr. Harper would go to the country.

In his interview, Mr. Harper was asked whether he believes his government's relationship with China has harmed his efforts to appeal to the Chinese-Canadian community.

“No, not at all,” he said.

“Look, I think Canadians of Chinese origin, they obviously want to see us have good relations with China,” he said. “But I think they also want us to see China be a country that continues to move in a positive direction, not just economically, but politically as well.”

An expert in foreign affairs said Mr. Harper may have decided that, given the turbulence in the economy, it may be time to demonstrate that Canada wants to have a constructive relationship with China.

“Is it an olive branch? I wouldn't go that far,” said Fen Hampson, director of Carleton University's Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. “It's an indication that Canada and China are open for business.”

Mr. Hampson added that Mr. Harper may be angling for votes among Chinese-Canadians.

“I dare say that the PM may also be pulling for votes with the Chinese-Canadian community who had a great sense of pride with the Beijing Olympics and who may have noticed the PM was not there to celebrate in the occasion.”

Another expert said Mr. Harper's frank talk does not appear to have harmed trade, which has increased between the two nations.

Charles Burton, a political science professor at Brock University, said previous efforts at human rights dialogues between China and Canada have not borne much fruit. Moreover, fear of losing exports has muted Canadian criticism of human rights abuses in China, he said.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net