U.S. Hostility and Interference in Matters of International Trade

Demand Canada Develop International
Trade for Mutual Benefit

Canada has joined the mounting U.S. drumbeat for war with China which is a disastrous path that should not be pursued. What good will come of condemning China as a competitor and enemy that must be crushed? Those shouting for this to happen are the same oligarchs who view all competitors as enemies to their private interests and consider the working class as disposable without rights, a say or control. Other oligarchs manage mega corporations whose wealth is acquired by selling goods made in China and their narrow private interests are not served by the warmongering. It means the contradictions within the ranks of the ruling class are very sharp and none of it favours the interests of the peoples of the world.

The U.S. high tech cartels such as Parallel Wireless, Mavenir, and Altiostar and their political vassals have now made it known that all countries in the U.S.-controlled imperialist system of states must boycott and eliminate all competition from Huawei and its 5G networks and expertise. The U.S. oligarchs’ fear and loathing arise from the reality that their 5G and other technical expertise lag behind Huawei and that China’s economy will soon displace the U.S. economy as the largest in the world. They concocted the anti-Iran charges against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou as part of the campaign to stop Huawei from expanding into “their” territory, including Canada, and competing with “their” companies.

The people did not discuss or decide to conciliate with the U.S. imperialists. They have not been consulted about becoming further embroiled in the campaign of hysteria and hate to contain China and block its companies from operating in Canada and other countries. Disinformation is used that free trade does not apply to China for this or that reason which Canadians cannot verify. Canadians are also not to blame for the state-orchestrated racism against people of East Asian ancestry.

The consequences of Canadian authorities acquiescing to the criminal demand of the U.S. to arrest a leading Chinese business personality were immediate on the front of trade. Canadian canola exports to China in 2019 fell 70 per cent resulting in an estimated $1 billion in lost export revenue. Prior to the downturn, China accounted for about 40 per cent of all Canadian canola seed, oil and meal exports, writes the Canola Council of Canada.

Canada’s share of total lumber exports to China fell from 24 per cent to 10 per cent between early 2019 and early 2020, data from consulting firm Wood Resources International show. Canada’s exports of wood and wood-products to China dropped by 35.06 per cent from 2019 to 2020 to date; with the export value of wood pulp, waste paper, scrap paper and paperboard also decreasing 19.08 per cent over the same period, according to statistics provided by the consulting firm.

In its July GDP summary, Statistics Canada says the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sectors witnessed a large production drop of 5.5 per cent. “Crop production (except cannabis) dropped 13.2 per cent in July, reaching its lowest level since the fall of 2007.” StatCan does not address whether this drop relates to Canada’s involvement in hostility towards China under the instigation of the U.S. but others in the agricultural and forestry sectors say a direct connection exists.

The global accounting company BDO writes in retrospect, “March 2019 marks the start of Chinese importers halting their purchase of Canadian canola seeds. Forty per cent of Canada’s canola exports go to China, accounting for billions of dollars generated annually. In 2017, Canada exported $3.6 billion worth of Canola to China. The same year, exports of canola seeds and products generated $1.72 billion for Manitoba’s economy alone. In mid-March 2019, when China halted new purchases of all Canadian canola, the price impact was immediate to this significant contributor to the economy. The price of canola suddenly dropped.”

Canadians need the government to cease its hostility against others at the behest of U.S. imperialism. A move towards trade for mutual benefit begins with opposing imperialist warmongering in international relations. This means disengaging from the U.S. war economy, war preparations and Homeland Security. It means establishing an anti-war government and getting out of NATO and NORAD.

On the economic front, for a country as large as Canada, which has a developed socialized economy of industrial mass production with vast natural resources, trade for mutual benefit is associated with building a self-reliant economy. For Canada, self-reliance forms an economic base from which trade for mutual benefit forms a positive alliance. Both give strength to the other from which the economy can meet the needs of all.

Demand a new direction for the economy towards self-reliance, trade for mutual benefit and an anti-war government!

(With files from the Canola Council of Canada, Statistics Canada and “Impact of canola price drop on Manitoba grain farm” by BDO)

This article was published in:

Renewal Update No. 51, October 25, 2021

Article Link:
U.S. Hostility and Interference in Matters of International Trade: Demand Canada Develop International