China not an adversary to Canada, despite 'complicated' relationship: ambassador

Canada’s ambassador to China insists the two countries are not adversaries, despite mounting examples of tense relations and allegations of foreign interference stacking up in recent months.

Jennifer May told CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, in an interview airing Sunday, Canada and China have a “complex,” “multifaceted,” and “very important” relationship, but that it’s important to focus on the goals they have in common, such as climate change and the environment, trade and investment.

There have been a series of incidents in recent months that have put the two countries at odds, however: a tense conversation between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit last fall, multiple allegations of China interfering in Canadian elections, an alleged Chinese spy balloon flying over Canada and the United States, and Canada’s expulsion of a Chinese diplomat following allegations he targeted Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family.

But when asked whether she would describe the relationship between Canada and China as adversarial, May said she “would not.”

“I would describe China as a complex and complicated partner to work with,” she said. “And in some areas, they are a partner, but in others, they are more of a competitor.”

“But I don't think we can take a big complicated country or relationship like China, and put it down into one or two words,” she added.

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May also said it’s important to keep the dialogue open.

“It means absolutely pushing back very firmly, strongly and clearly, as we've done on foreign interference, but also where there is an extended hand on issues that are absolutely existential for the entire globe, like climate change and the environment, that we don't throw that baby out with the bathwater,” she said.

The ambassador also said she’s raised the issue of foreign interference with senior levels of China’s foreign ministry to make it clear it is “not acceptable behaviour.”

May said China expelling Shanghai-based Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde — a reciprocal move following Canada’s expulsion of Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei — was “unfortunate,” but “could have been worse.”

“That was very difficult,” she said. “My colleague had to leave on very short notice with her family. So yeah, that has had an impact on us very directly on the ground as well.”

“I wish that they had not taken the step of closing down essentially one of our channels of dialogue through our diplomat, but it is their right to do so,” she also said.

Relations between China and Canada’s closest ally, the United States, have also been strained. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told Kapelos earlier this month China’s recent actions in the Taiwan Straight are increasingly “aggressive.”

“I think we are seeing them taking aggressive actions for sure,” May said. “We see them as disrupting, trying to play with the rules around the margins, around the game.”

“But I think that's where we also are stepping up with confidence and making sure that that we're not backing down in the face of that kind of change to the normal status quo,” she added.

But when asked whether Canada should respond in kind, May said the focus should instead be on acting “determined and forceful, rather than necessarily aggressive.”

American officials meanwhile very recently have said they want to reset the relationship through diplomacy.

In that vein, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Beijing on Sunday, after a trip in February was postponed due to the Chinese balloon incident.

May said the lines of dialogue are open between Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and her counterpart in China, but wouldn’t say whether plans for a high level Canadian visit to China is in the works.