Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
My question is somewhat general. When two superpowers who respect the rules-based international order have a dispute, they will often take a step back, ponder solutions and come back to the table to discuss them.
Someone told me that you can't expect that from a country that doesn't respect the rules-based international order. For example, Russia might interpret any step back as an opportunity to occupy the space.
First, could this analysis also apply to China and the way it intervenes when there's a dispute?
Second, what role could smaller powers, including Canada, play as a diplomatic alternative with China, but also generally in the Indo-Pacific region?