By David Carment & Simon Palamar
The Asia-Pacific offers enormous potential for Canada. The hard part is balancing economics, human rights and the U.S.-China rivalry.
Successive actions and statements by the Canadian government have highlighted how Asia has become one of the country’s top priorities. The question isn’t so much why this is happening – that should be obvious. After all, China, India, Indonesia, and other ASEAN states boast huge markets, rapidly growing economies, and extraordinary investment potential. By the mid-21st century, these countries (along with Brazil and South Africa) will have a combined GNP larger than the G-8. And while neither China nor India will eclipse the United States as the globe’s premier power in the foreseeable future, the post-war American hegemonic order in the region is waning.
So the key question is can Canada engage Asia in a way that can satisfy a complex web of sometimes conflicting priorities – namely democracy promotion, good governance, human rights and economic prosperity? And can Ottawa do so in a way that leaves the country stronger and more united than it was before the economic crisis, despite the increasing divide between the engines of growth located in western Canada and the weaker performing manufacturing sectors in eastern Canada?
Read the full story at The Diplomat