Feature

Many Canadians have been ‘naïve at best and self-delusional at worst’ in dealings with China, says journalist and author Manthorpe

Patterns of interference, intimidation, and harassment of individual Canadians by the Chinese Communist Party ‘demand a response’ from the Canadian government, says veteran journalist Jonathan Manthorpe in his 2019 book.

'I think that one of the most important themes from the book are the attacks and intimidation of Canadians of Chinese, Tibetan, Uighur, and Taiwanese-heritage here in Canada,' says journalist Jonathan Manthorpe, author of Claws of the Panda. Photographs courtesy of Jonathan Manthorpe, Cormorant Books

By Mike Lapointe September 21, 2020

As Canada approaches the 50^thanniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with China—and as politicians in both countries continue to grapple with the fallout from the recent detention of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in British Columbia and the ensuing arrests of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor by the Chinese government—journalist and author Jonathan Manthorpe calls it a “great irony” that after decades of engagement, we’re now ensconced in “the greatest crisis in the relationship that there has been over this period.”

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Mike Lapointe

Mike Lapointe joined the The Hill Times in June 2019 and covers the federal public service, deputy ministers, the Privy Council Office, public service unions, the Phoenix pay system, the machinery of government, and the Parliament Hill media.
Follow him on Twitter @mike_lpnt or email him at mlapointe@hilltimes.com