Canada-China Relations committee  Starting with the Taiwan issue, Canada can do a lot. If we say we support human rights and democracy, we have to translate that into our foreign policy. In that regard, it's important to continue with visits by parliamentarians. We have to support Taiwan's joining multilateral organizations.

Canada-China Relations committee  That's an extremely important issue. I see a lot of areas where China is intervening illegally. As I said earlier, this country is taking advantage of the openness of our systems, but it's also figured out how to use our social media, like Twitter, Facebook and Linkedln, to spread misinformation and try to interfere in our political systems.

Canada-China Relations committee  It's very important to make the trade regime more reliable and predictable. I was surprised, at the start of our latest problems with China, when they put a ban on our exports of canola. Why didn't we go immediately to the World Trade Organization to lodge a complaint? We have to use those mechanisms to push back on China.

Canada-China Relations committee  I agree entirely with you. I think the Canadian government should speak very forcefully on this subject to say that it will oppose any effort by China to use this national security law to try to get people. What we have to understand is, in fact, that if Canadians fall under...it's easy to be found guilty.

Canada-China Relations committee  Well, you know, when I was in Beijing, very often I had discussions in which I was told that we were the lapdog of the United States. From the start of this sad episode with Ms. Meng Wanzhou and the two Michaels, they said that we should not have acceded to the extradition request.

Canada-China Relations committee  There has already been a Chinese ship in the Northwest Passage. Having said that, I don't think this passage is as interesting as the one through the north. China understands that it's more difficult to navigate the Northwest Passage. Anyway, going through the north is more direct.

Canada-China Relations committee  Yes, absolutely. If I'd had the opportunity to finish my speech, I would have told you that we must fight Chinese interference at all costs, not only within the Chinese community in Canada, but also in our institutions, including our political institutions. The Chinese use all sorts of ways to create interference.

Canada-China Relations committee  We have to start by paying a lot more attention to what is said on Chinese social media. I was struck at the start of the Meng Wanzhou crisis. I gave many interviews to Canadian media that publish in Mandarin. The questions they were asking me were straight from Beijing. They didn't know what the position of the Canadian government was.

Canada-China Relations committee  Clearly, we have to try to reinforce multilateral institutions. Canada is a small country when we look at it from an international perspective, and we need well-functioning international organizations, be they the World Health Organization or the World Trade Organization. It's true that China has been using its assistance through the belt and road initiative and its development assistance to rally support, mostly from developing countries, to good effect.

Canada-China Relations committee  Unfortunately, I think you're right: Canada's importance internationally has indeed diminished. I think it started when the Harper government was in power and has continued under Mr. Trudeau's government, unfortunately. It's important to understand that in the current context, international issues are closely linked to domestic issues.

Canada-China Relations committee  Thank you, Mr. Oliphant. In fact, I was getting to the part of my speech where I was congratulating the government on the adoption of the declaration against arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations in February of last year, and I was going to add that in fact now is the time to maybe put some teeth into that declaration by talking with allies to agree on common responses, including sanctions, if China uses such tactics again.

Canada-China Relations committee  Thank you, Mr. Chong. I think we have learned a lot about China in the last three or four years. Of course, the detention of the two Michaels was a very difficult period, but we also learned that China is adept at using trade as a weapon. We suffered a loss of $4.5 billion in exports after the arrest of Meng Wanzhou.

Canada-China Relations committee  I think you describe very well the situation General Secretary Xi is facing. In fact, housing represents 25% of the Chinese GDP. Housing construction is down 40% this year. The unemployment rate among young people 18 to 24 is 20%, and there's a lot of dissatisfaction among young people.

Canada-China Relations committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, members of the Special Committee on the Canada-People's Republic of China Relationship. Thank you for inviting me to appear before you. My presentation will be mainly in English, but I will be happy to answer questions in French.