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Asia

Wednesday January 24, 2018

January 23, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday January 24, 2018

How the TPP deal injects a new dynamic at NAFTA talks

Canada’s decision to sign onto a major multinational trade agreement without the United States added a dramatic new wrinkle to the NAFTA process Tuesday just as negotiators gathered for a crucial bargaining round.

January 12, 2018

The new Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement brings Canada into a new, sprawling trading bloc with standards not always obviously compatible with the goals of its superpower next-door neighbour.

It allows more content into automobiles from non-free-trade partners like China — at the very moment that the United States is trying to achieve the exact opposite in NAFTA, with tougher rules to keep out Chinese and other Asian parts.

Both supporters and detractors of the TPP pact predicted that this major liberalization of trade in auto parts with Asia will wind up at the NAFTA table somehow.

A Canadian auto-parts lobby group delivered a scathing reaction.

November 14, 2017

Flavio Volpe of Canada’s Auto Parts Manufacturers’ Association said the TPP agreement paves the way for more Chinese content in Canadian cars, at the moment Canada’s most important customer, the U.S., has made clear its goal of reducing Chinese imports.

He said it’s especially problematic in the midst of sensitive NAFTA negotiations.

“This could not be a dumber move at a more important time,” Volpe said in an interview. (Source: CTV) 

 

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Posted in: Canada, International, USA Tagged: Asia, cake, Canada, Chrystia Freeland, diplomacy, intolerance, Mexico, NAFTA, TPP, Trade, USA

Friday November 10, 2017

November 9, 2017 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday November 10, 2017

Trump trades barbs for flattery in gambit to win over China

Outside the Great Hall of the People here on Thursday, President Donald Trump watched with an unmistakable air of satisfaction as cordons of Chinese troops marched stiff-legged in his honor, an eight-cannon salute preceding their parade.

It was just the latest display of elaborate pageantry put on by his Chinese hosts, and inside the cavernous state edifice two hours later, the outsized display of flattery appeared to pay off.

Instead of lashing China for trade practices he once compared to rape and theft, he praised the country and its powerful leader, Xi Jinping, for cunningly exploiting the US to benefit his own citizens — and harm American workers.

“Who can blame a country for being able taking advantage of another country for the benefit of its citizens?” Trump said as Xi watched on from a few feet away. Nervous laughter rippled through the crowd of Chinese and American business executives, whose firms are inking new deals here in a spectacle meant to demonstrate Trump’s negotiating prowess.

“I give China great credit,” he added. “In actuality, I do blame past administrations for allowing this trade deficit to take place and grow.”

It was a remarkable show of deference to Xi, who emerged from last month’s Communist Party Congress the most powerful Chinese leader in a generation. And while US officials downplayed the significance of the remark, it nevertheless laid bare the lengths to which Trump is prioritizing his personal chemistry with his counterparts here as he seeks to advance an agenda of isolating North Korea and brokering new trade deals.

Trump’s praise for his Chinese counterpart wasn’t limited to the remarks at the signing ceremony for the $250 billion in US-Chinese business deals. At the top of a bilateral meeting, the accolades dripped from Trump’s mouth as he expressed his gratitude for the welcome mat Xi had laid out.

They had an “absolutely terrific” dinner. It was a “very, very great honor” to be together. The military display was “magnificent.” And their relationship? “A great one.” (Source: CNN) 

 

Posted in: International Tagged: Asia, China, diplomacy, Donald Trump, kiss, Trade, USA, Xi Jinping

Monday January 27, 1997

January 27, 1997 by Graeme MacKay

Monday January 27, 1997 – By Graeme MacKay

Team Canada versus the Rest of the World

Canadians have once again witnessed the passing of another “Team Canada” Asian trade mission.  It’s an event that was initiated a couple of years ago by Prime Minister Jean Chretien in an effort to get out of the dismal city of Ottawa and appear as though some sort of concerted effort was being made to drum up business for Canada.  It was also an obvious attempt by Chretien to draw attention to other parts of the world rather than relying solely on the benefits of a young and wide reaching trade agreement with a friendly and rather powerful neighbour to our south.  While the intentions are good in these non-NAFTA nations, the amusement in the whole event is knowing that the delegation of provincial premiers and Jean Chretien is officially called “Team Canada.”  This has to be one of the most divided periods of federal-provincial relations.  The idea of Canadian politicians getting together like a united hockey team is a joke.  Having Premiers from three different political persuasions is difficult, but not unusual, however having a committed separatist premier accompanying the delegation is nothing short of bizarre, (but indeed, uniquely Canadian.)

This recent trade mission included stops to South Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand.  Lucien Bouchard surprisingly accepted the invitation to join the other provincial premiers and we all waited for the Quebec Separatist leader to blurt something out that would piss everyone off except for a collection of Canada-bashers in a much anticipated republic of Quebec.  But, after two weeks of hanging around a bunch of notorious guys like Ralph Klein, Mike Harris, and Brian Tobin, nothing rude was uttered, no feet were stepped on, in fact, the whole lot of these politicians looked like they were having a great time together, and even Lucien Bouchard was cracking smiles.

If any feet were stepped on it was brought about by Chretien, who, while in Manila waded into a constitutional debate concerning the length of time a Philippine President is allowed to keep.  Chretien, a veteran career politician himself for some 30 odd years, questioned the injustice that Fidel Ramos can only serve 2 terms.  By now our PM should well understand that it is not a good idea to mess with any country’s constitutional affairs, judging by his own sloppiness in past dealings with our own.

Frank McKenna, the long serving Premier of New Brunswick stepped on toes by pawning off provincially produced peanut butter.  He was being anything but a team player when tried to compete against other provinces to get contracts of course this isn’t the first time McKenna has treated other provinces like business foes.  His excuses for his actions resemble closely with those of a particular fictional character out of Sherwood Forest.

These trade missions are great for photo opportunities as well.  We’ve seen the leaders walking along the Great Wall of China, stand and gawk in front of the Taj Mahal, and mill about stern faced soldiers carrying machine guns in Korean no mans land.  Jean Chretien wobbles along on a bicycle in Beijing, and goofs around with the architect of the Tiannamen Square massacre following a treaty signing.  We’ve all become used to these sort of things, and in all honesty, it allows us news buffs to escape the regular on-goings in the legislatures, and committee rooms where these people usually hang out.  Maybe Mr. Chretien is on to something when it comes to national unity…because here in Canada, Canadians are its biggest critics.  When we step outside and see just how messed up other countries are we tend to pay a little more respect for our own land.  I’m sure the premiers get this sense.

As for Craig Keilburger, the 13 year old child rights activist who goes on about child labour injustices in these trade nations, someone ought to put him over their knee for good hard spanking. (Posted to thinkfastech.com)

Asia Pacific Trade Mission. Graphite rendering by Graeme MacKay (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). Illustrated in 1997. 

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: Asia, Asia Pacific Trade Mission, caricature, China, Frank McKenna, Japan, Jean Chretien, Lucien Bouchard, Ralph Klein, Team Canada, Trade

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Please note…

This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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