The disturbing push of aggressive Chinese state capitalism

Port of Chongqing
CHONGQING – I snapped this picture while covering Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s 2012 visit to Chongqing. One of the first shipments of frozen Canadian pork that had been allowed into China had just arrived at Chongqing’s massive port — it’s the one with the Canadian flag on it — and Canadian and Chinese officials were heralding its arrival as a sign of a new commercial relationship between the two countries. Later that day, Harper would sign the agreement to bring two pandas to Canada. (DAVID AKIN / QMI Agency)

Heriberto Araújo and Juan Pablo Cardenal are the authors of China’s Silent Army: The Pioneers, Traders, Fixers and Workers Who Are Remaking The World in Beijing’s Image. Today in the New York Times, they have a long interesting piece in which they argue that China’s “state capitalism” represents a real threat to the West and to the values — the rule of law, political freedom and fair competition — important to the West. And Canada — “a progressive bastion” — gets a prominent mention:

Europeans and Americans [and Canadians for that matter] tend to fret over Beijing’s assertiveness in the South China Sea, its territorial disputes with Japan, and cyberattacks on Western firms, but all of this is much less important than a phenomenon that is less visible but more disturbing: the aggressive worldwide push of Chinese state capitalism…

Continue reading The disturbing push of aggressive Chinese state capitalism

China in the oil patch? Trudeau has thumbs up. Mulcair thumbs down. Harper? Who knows?

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CALGARY – Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership candidate, Justin Trudeau, holds up a message after speaking to students at Mount Royal University on Tuesday Nov 20, 2012. (Darren Makowichuk/Calgary Sun/QMI AGENCY)

The Chinese state-owned firm CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corporation) has a $15-billion bid on the table to buy under-performing Calgary based oil-and gas producer Nexen.

Quebec Liberal MP and leadership candidate candidate Justin Trudeau had this to say about the deal in an op-ed distributed today to the Postmedia papers. (He approves): Continue reading China in the oil patch? Trudeau has thumbs up. Mulcair thumbs down. Harper? Who knows?