Trudeau fails in Chinese trade talks - gets plain socks

[Rwede]

John Ivison: Would it be too cynical to say China just ambushed Trudeau on trade talks?


Justin Trudeau arrived in China fully expecting on Monday to announce the launch of formal free trade talks. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wasn't having it


John Ivison
December 4, 2017
10:03 AM EST

BEIJING — Canada got a tough Chinese-style lesson in power politics Monday.

Justin Trudeau arrived in China in the belief that his hosts had accepted the fundamentals of his “progressive trade agenda.” He fully expected to announce the launch of formal free trade talks Monday, with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the Great Hall of the People overlooking Tiananmen Square.

He left empty-handed — which is going to make this a very long week for the Prime Minister, as he’s asked to elaborate on what went wrong.

“We’re pleased to continue exploratory discussions towards a comprehensive agreement,” Trudeau said, after Li had made clear the Chinese were not prepared to bend on some of the issues close to the Prime Minister’s heart. Trudeau said there was no specific issue that had unravelled a prospective deal, but that it’s clear the “people first” nature of Ottawa’s agenda did not dovetail with Chinese priorities.

Li said different national conditions justify different responses. “It is only natural that we don’t see eye to eye on some issues,” said the Chinese premier.

The problem is, Trudeau was led to believe those objections had been settled.

Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada’s former ambassador in Beijing, said that when Trudeau visited China last year he said he would not agree to free trade negotiations unless they included chapters on the environment, labour rights, state-owned enterprises and public procurement.

To the ambassador’s surprise, the Chinese said they were persuaded by the Prime Minister’s arguments — agreement that led to Trudeau’s great expectations on this visit. But clearly, no one had informed Li.

It was apparent from the moment of the Canadian party’s arrival at the Great Hall that the hosts were going to be assertive on their home turf.

The Canadian media’s pool cameraman was manhandled and had his shot of Trudeau and Li blocked by Chinese security.

Adam Scotti of the Prime Minister’s Office was blocked from entering the photo opportunity between the leaders — a problem, because he’s Trudeau’s official photographer.

Word emerged that the question-and-answer session scheduled for the end of the day was in doubt because of cold feet on the part of the hosts. “That’s coordinated cold feet,” said one international journalist who covers the Chinese government on a regular basis.

If it was tense outside the room, it sounds like the jet-lagged Canadian delegation at the table was sweating spinal fluid. Would it be too cynical to suggest the Chinese ambushed their visitors, knowing that leaving without an announcement would prove embarrassing to them? Probably not.

Trudeau emerged to give his final statement looking like the boy who expected a bike for Christmas and instead got a pair of plain socks.

China already has a $43-billion trade surplus with Canada. It would have liked to extend its influence further by pushing for more a generous investment review threshold and broader access to the Canadian market.

But it doesn’t need a deal with Canada. After the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party in October, president Xi Jinping outlined an alternative vision of globalism to rival western liberalism — one in which China sits squarely at the centre as an authoritarian, state-driven market economy.

It was always hard to see how Xi’s vision, which is illiberal in the extreme, squared with Trudeau’s ultra-liberal trade agenda.

That they were irreconcilable should have been apparent before Monday.

The moment was right for a deal. The prize is irresistible: Xi said this weekend that the Chinese economy will need $24 trillion in commodity imports and $2 trillion in investment over the next 15 years, and that China will hold the first expo in international imported products in Shanghai next year to encourage imports. China “does not seek a (trade) surplus,” he added.

But it seems the opportunity to secure preferential access to the Chinese market may have passed for now — and with it the protection and certainty that comes from clear rules and a binding dispute-resolution mechanism.

SNIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

But with the future of Canada’s trade relations in disarray, at what cost to the Canadian economy?

In a late, hastily convened press conference, Trudeau put a brave face on the Chinese brush-off.

“This was a very successful second leaders-level dialogue. Moving forward on a free trade deal with China is a big thing — it’s not a small thing — and the progress we made today in discussions means we will be able to keep moving forward in a responsible way,” he said.

Another such victory and we will be utterly undone.

http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/j ... e-talks-no

[Queen K]

Could it be the Chinese are hurting over the foreign ownership tax? Retaliation of sorts?

Maybe they don't need to be buying up our farmland and turning us into a Banana country where all the productive land is owned by anyone other than the locals.

[Gone_Fishin]

Poor Trudeau. What a devastating blow for him when he couldn't even get a picture of himself taken by his official photog. That hurts more than getting handed plain socks. He's just not ready to handle files this important to our country.


A security guard attempts to block a photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau being greeted by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. ORG XMIT: SKP126 THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

[TreeGuy]

Maybe he will blame Trump and say there was collusion?

The Cons are going to have a field day with this.

Did he accomplish anything over there?

[Rider59]

...........Did he accomplish anything over there?

Wonder if he tried the local herb?

[Snman]

Trudeau's twitter page reflects that he and McKenna thought it was a huge success. Spin, spin, spin.

https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau

[maryjane48]

Why anyone would want to trade with a govt that props up. North korea has brain damage .

[Rwede]

Why anyone would want to trade with a govt that props up. North korea has brain damage .

Well, so does pothead Trudeau, so I can understand the transgression. But good point, why would anyone want to get into bed with a disgusting regime like that? Trudeau's fault, MJ, can't deny that.

Of course, that $1 million given to the Trudeau Foundation by the Chinese has helped cloud what little judgment he has, and has bought a lot of favours for the Chinese to do business in Canada.

[bob vernon]

We need to get Chinese corporations in here. With their own workers. And their own wage rates. Canadians have had it far too good for too long. Chinese labour coming in here would smarten up these uppity union types real good and fast and cut their wages back to where they can compete with the Chinese.

[Ken7]

I think while he is there he should go visit Korea and maybe give him a hug. I'm sure once he does that the weapons of mass destruction will be dismantlement and we can all were happy socks!

[maryjane48]

I think while he is there he should go visit Korea and maybe give him a hug. I'm sure once he does that the weapons of mass destruction will be dismantlement and we can all were happy socks!

Its rightwingers trying get trade going with china,our enemy .you need to keep up

[Ken7]

Its rightwingers trying get trade going with china,our enemy .you need to keep up

I am fully aware why he is there trust me. I'm making fun of the fool and think maybe it would be his end by going there... go figure!

You are not the story teller and only media poster,I keep in touch with current affairs. Could you post another topic..

[alanjh595]

China is our enemy?

[pepecat]

I think while he is there he should go visit Korea and maybe give him a hug. I'm sure once he does that the weapons of mass destruction will be dismantlement and we can all were happy socks!

Trudeau is adamant about workers' rights. He made it clear that Canada is not going into trade agreements without some sort of confirmation that workers' rights of protection and fairness will be upheld. China is not ready to let go of their system of hierarchy yet. They like the cheap labour.

Trudeau is admired throughout the world for his empathy and forward-thinking. You should travel outside of Kelowna sometime and hear what the rest of the world is saying about Canada. You would feel proud.

[Jlabute]

I thought he would had brought back a mao uniform for us all.