John Chuckman

COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE IN CBC NEWS

 

“Which is why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to come out and condemn — not in tepid press releases, but in real, strong terms — China’s recent repressive actions, not only for the sake of protesters in Hong Kong”

 

I can’t believe anyone actually wrote that.

It’s a guaranteed formula – interfering in China’s affairs – for offending them even more deeply than we have already.

We are totally responsible for the state of affairs that exists between China and Canada. Totally, the inept work of Trudeau and Freeland. Freeland, especially, is a friendly helper for the unpleasant work of Washington we see underway in so many places:

https://chuckmanwordsincomments.wordpress.com/2019/07/14/john-chuckman-comment-what-every-canadian-should-know-about-canada-foreign-minister-chrystia-freeland-and-what-justin-trudeaus-sad-legacy-as-prime-minister-will-be/

Meng never should have been arrested, something the Chinese regard as Canada insulting them, and doing so, yet, on behalf of the very United States which has done nothing but attack China for a solid year.

As for any “moral” path in foreign affairs, we show no morality at all through a whole range of America’s dark works and dark friends. We support the overthrow of a democratic government in Venezuela and we regularly shake hands with the blood-drenched Saudi Crown Prince, a much-valued American associate in the Middle East.

The demonstrations in China represent yet another American-inspired effort to hurt the country.

We actually have pictures of an American Consular official meeting with some of the organizers of these demonstrations, something she had absolutely no business doing for any reason. It was direct interference in China’s internal affairs. It’s seen here:

https://www.rt.com/news/466078-hong-kong-us-joshua-wong/

 

John Chuckman

COMMENTS POSTED TO AN ARTICLE IN CBC NEWS

 

“China warns Canada not to be ‘naive’ in thinking allies can help fix issues”

 

“I am confident that the Americans brought up the issue and President Trump brought up the issue of the detained Canadians in China.”  – Justin Trudeau

What naivete in those words. but more than naivete, there is a quality of dependency that I find quite saddening and unpleasant from a national leader.

When I say that, I’m also taking into account that Trudeau appealed to the very man who is almost certainly the most disliked person in China, and one utterly without any influence.

Just imagine, even in Canada, Trump is not widely liked, and I believe commands no great respect for the many unpleasant things he has said and the way he has said them.

How much more so must be the case in China?

And no one should have to point that out to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of a country. If they were in command of the positions they hold, they would know it instinctively.

Why do they not? I won’t venture to say, but while we have had many examples from our government of simply not being up to the job, this one for me is the ultimate.

Note further, that only within days, Trudeau and Freeland had a Canadian warship steaming through the Taiwan Strait. Surely everyone on the planet understands how China feels about that kind of activity. It is a rather strong public insult. Why?

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Response to a comment about Trudeau and Freeland being out of their league in world affairs:

Way out their league, indeed.

They resemble a couple of school kids doing a day of “Let’s pretend we’re the government.”

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Response to a comment about Canada having been obligated by treaty to respond to America’s extradition request for China’s Meng:

That’s inaccurate, though a widely held and promoted view.

There is always a matter of discretion and judgment with extraditions. Always.

Our brain trust has failed to use it.

Again, absent a number of other things that could be done, Meng could have been quietly warned not to land.

Problem solved, actually, never created.

Trudeau and Freeland are simply inadequate and embarrassing.

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Response to a comment saying Canada should respond to China with trade restrictions:

Increasing the trade wars Trump has started is simply terrible advice.

Trump has proved such a master diplomat, hasn’t he?

If he keeps in the direction he’s going, there can be no question but he’s going to pitch us into a vast global recession.

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Response to a comment saying, “It’s ironic that China is fighting with Hong Kong to put in an extradition law, but wants Canada to ignore theirs”:

Oh please, it is tiresome.

Extradition treaties are not diktats. Not automatic pilots.

They are always open to judgment and discretion and interpretation in individual cases.

John Chuckman

COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE BY KRISTY KIRKUP IN CBC NEWS

 

“Canada has ‘broad international coalition’ of support on China file, Freeland says”

 

“Trudeau had ‘brief, constructive interactions’ with Chinese President Xi Jinping at G20”

Translation: They said “hello.”

“Canada has ‘broad international coalition’ of support on China file, Freeland says’”

Translation: Washington and some Europeans under its thumb nod their heads at the mention of Canada, but do absolutely nothing.

The truth is, there’s nothing to support.

Chrystia Freeland has totally mishandled the China File from beginning to end. The entire sequence of negative events was avoidable.

In almost everything Freeland has been active in – from the Lima Group, designed to help overthrow a democratic government, to tacit acceptance of Saudi Arabia’s horrors and to making no objections to Trump’s illegal and unwarranted assault on Iran – I do not see the great Liberal Party traditions in international affairs that gave us our reputation in the 20th century.

Not at all. I see Stephen Harper.

 

John Chuckman

COMMENTS POSTED TO AN ARTICLE BY MATT KWONG IN CBC NEWS

 

“When Trudeau sought to free 2 Canadians, ‘Beijing had no time’ for him. Will Trump?

“’Great powers rumbling’ means an awkward time to call in a favour from U.S. ally”

 

Trump, now there’s a guy with a lot of clout in China right now.

Of course, Trump could rescind the extradition request, taking Trudeau off the hook about Meng.

But that really doesn’t fit in with his whole mad rush (some would call it strategy) towards China.

It’s rather pathetic seeing Trudeau going around begging for help. China turned him down even for a brief meeting.

He could have avoided the whole affair by just quietly warning Meng not to land.

Or he could show the least bit of spunk by declaring the extradition request as invalid since it involves matters that are not crimes in Canada. Or find some other excuse, like requiring more evidence. It’s always possible to find an excuse if you try. Extradition requests are not diktats.

Well, whatever the outcome, I’m afraid Canada has been shown in a mighty poor light by the actions of perhaps its most ineffectual leader in modern history.

But I should add, not all Canadians see it that way. A fair number take the view that Canada is being attacked by China. I’m afraid American views and attitudes are increasingly finding a home in Canada.

After all, Trudeau’s unpleasant Foreign Minister, Chrystia Freeland, heads up that CIA front, the Lima Group, whose purpose is to assist in the overthrow of Venezuela and other Latin states Washington happens to hate. And she echoes, albeit in a quieter, gentler voice, most of the animal grunts from Washington about a range of matters, from Russia to Iran.

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Response to a comment saying, “Quite sad that two of our citizens are rotting in a prison in China. They are just pawns of political bs”:

How do you know they are rotting?

Rather strong word, especially from someone not in a position to know any details.

I rather suspect they are receiving the best treatment, given the situation.

And there’s still that other possibility, that their arrests are not about Meng and reflect results of normal police work. I’m not saying that’s so, but it is indeed possible.

Whatever, if Trudeau would just show some spunk and release Meng, every problem would just melt away. It’s the right thing to do, anyway.

She’s only being hounded by an extremely aggressive United States.

Good God, America works to ban her company all over the world, in the name of so-called security, simply because it cannot compete with some of the company’s technology.

Remember, we already have had big-mouth Trump say that the Huawei matter could be resolved in the trade agreement he is arrogantly demanding from China.

That’s some issue of national security then, isn’t it?