The establishment of Canada’s diplomatic relation with China

     --- Review the lessons of history to avoid detours.

             Frank Oct. 17, 2015, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada 

       Contents

   1..Pierre Trudeau learnt China with two-month personal tour

   2..Pierre Trudeau replaced diplomatic relations from Taiwan to China

   3..The political philosophy of Justin Trudeau is similar as that of his father 

1..Pierre Trudeau learnt China with two-month personal tour 

    It was that Pierre Trudeau, the father of Justin Trudeau has forged a good friendship in diplomatic level with China in decades ago.

    In 1948, 29-year-old Pierre Trudeau ended doctoral study in London, and spent 18 weeks travelling around the world on a motorcycle. When the new China will be born, he just travelled in China, but due to the civil war, he had to leave China unwillingly with the determination of coming back again.

    After China and Canada made first wheat trade in 1961, he finally managed the formalities to enter China through a Canadian agency in Hong Kong. In 1962, He made two-month tour in China, and foot printed all over to Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Guangzhou and other places. He felt that what he saw and heard about the new China, there is a big difference with the description of the West.

    From above historical events, we can learn that, the later policies of Pierre Trudeau on the relationship with China was depended on his personal explorations rather than as that of others depends on the hearsays. 

2..Pierre Trudeau replaced diplomatic relations from Taiwan to China 

    In Oct. 13, 1970, on the effort of Pierre Trudeau, Canada severed the ties with Taiwan, and established diplomatic relations with China, which was earlier than that of the United States.

    In 1973 he visited the People's Republic of China, which was the first visit of the Canadian Prime Minister historically. In 1976, Trudeau prohibited Taiwan to participate in the Olympic Games in Montreal, even though the team has arrived in Montreal.

    During Trudeau's tenure, Canada maintained a certain distance with the United States. He asked the foreign investment review body to shield off some foreign investment, and tried to promote trade relations with China and Europe.

    Pierre Trudeau was right, in both of now and future, Canada must maintain a certain distance with the United States. For example, on the Ukrainian crisis, the United States launched economic sanctions on Russia, Canada suffered huge losses, but, the U.S. itself has continued to do business with Russia.

    It is not that the country U.S. is no good, but, there few U.S. politicians are rational. 

    The practice of Pierre Trudeau proved that those people who have become friends of China after visited China and those who strongly criticize China are mostly hearsay about China.  

3..The political philosophy of Justin Trudeau is similar as that of his father 

    From the reports, the political philosophy of Justin Trudeau is similar as that of his father – rational with less Dogmatism.

    I once wrote an article Justin Trudeau a rational leader of Canadian Liberal Party. I excerpt some as follow.

    Nov. 8, 2013, the article At Toronto fundraiser, Justin Trudeau seemingly admires China’s ‘basic dictatorship’ reported that:

    When an audience member asked Mr.Trudeau which nation’s “administration he most admired." 

    Mr. Trudeau responded: “There is a level of admiration I actually have for China because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and say we need to go green, we need to start, you know, investing in solar. There is a flexibility that I know Stephen Harper must dream about: having a dictatorship where you can do whatever you wanted, that I find quite interesting.”

    The comments of Mr. Trudeau suffered extensive fierce criticism. 

    "Mr. Trudeau took to Twitter on Friday to explain his comments, saying that his point about China was that Canada “is up against big countries (China, for one) that can address some major issues quickly.”

    "Canada is the best country in the world. I would never trade our freedoms. But countries we compete with play by different rules. That’s why we need to work together to address big issues and that’s why I’m focused on the (real priorities) of Canadians.”

    November 7, 2013, the other report on the same event that Justin Trudeau hosts 'ladies night' fundraiser despite 'firestorm' of controversy over ‘patronizing’ clearly provided the true intention of Mr. Trudeau's comments on China: "In answer to a litany of questions, Mr. Trudeau said the environment was the biggest issue that would impact today’s children; that he most admired the political system in Canada’s northern territories, which operate without political parties; implored for the engagement of young people in politics." 

    From the reports, we can learn the philosophy of Trudeau on social governance. he is not dogmatically advocating in political forms, but the real governance effect.