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Michael Kovrig says Carney must defend values while seeking trade in China visit

On Jan. 9, 2025, Michael Kovrig urged Canada to be clear-eyed about economic coercion as Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to rebuild ties with China and hold the line on Canada’s interests and values.
Kovrig recalled the 2019 detentions of him and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days in retaliation for Meng Wanzhou's arrest and warned silence allows Beijing to 'condition it into silence,' calling coercion 'kindergarten and playground tactics.'
Canada's canola and seafood sectors face tariffs, and Kovrig recommended process agreements and working groups to improve communication and manage disputes before escalation.
Pushing for trade ties, Carney's visit could expand energy and agricultural exports but Kovrig expects more political signalling than concrete obligations in Beijing.
Amid persistent tensions, Kovrig urged Canada to pair quiet diplomacy and measured public action on human-rights and trade-coercion issues with G7 partners, warning Taiwan's military risks threaten Canada's economy and the Liberal government must retain tools to impose costs.

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Carney Must Be Lucid with China, Says Kovrig, Who Had been...

The Canadian government is seeking to reconnect with China, not without risks.

13 hours ago·Montreal, Canada

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Michael Kovrig says Carney must defend values while seeking trade in China visit

Canada needs to be clear-eyed about the risk of economic coercion as Prime Minister Mark Carney looks to rebuild ties with China after years of political and economic tensions, Michael Kovrig said this week.

15 hours ago·Kelowna, Canada

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