Who is spreading Sinophobia in Canada?

Xiaoming Guo 郭晓明

On November 19, 2022, the Western Ontario Chinese Election Committee held a celebration in Mississauga to congratulate Li Aijun on his election as a city councilor. The event was indirectly reported by the National Post, however, the National Post reported not on the event, but on the Chinese Council for Western Ontario Elections, which organized the event. According to reports, the Chinese Council for Western Ontario Elections was established during this event. This report is obviously wrong. The Chinese Council for Western Ontario Elections was established as early as 2019. The National Post article is titled “New Group with Beijing Links to promote friendly candidates in Canadian Elections.” The new organization it reported was the Chinese Council for Western Ontario Elections. This article is an article alluding to the Chinese government’s interference in Canadian elections. The article was also published in newspapers such as the Montreal Gazette and the Toronto Sun. The first sentence of the introduction of the report stated that The council’s links to groups that are closely aligned with the Chinese government — and possibly to a Chinese police station here — are raising concerns.

China and Canada are countries with normal diplomatic relations. The two sides have established embassies and consulates in each other. Why does the relationship with Beijing attract attention? There are many organizations supporting foreign countries in Canada. For example, Canada has many organizations that support Israel and lobby the Canadian Parliament on Israeli foreign policy. Whose attention does “causing attention” raise? These newspapers reported it, so at least these newspapers paid attention to it. So, what are these newspapers? The National Post is the flagship newspaper of the Postmedia Network. The Montreal Magazine and the Toronto Sun both belong to the Postmedia. In fact, Postmedia controls hundreds of Canadian English-language media. Postmedia is a conglomerate controlled by the United States. This article expresses the concerns of the United States, not the concerns of the Canadian public. Since Postmedia acquired many old Canadian English-language newspapers, such as Montreal Magazine, many Canadians do not know that these influential newspapers are American newspapers.

The article stated that the chairman of the Chinese Council for Western Ontario Elections is Guo Baozhang, and Guo Baozhang is also the chairman of the Fuqing Business Association. The website of the Fuqing Business Association clearly states that the chamber was established under the guidance of China’s United Front Work Department. In fact, the United Front Work Department is just one of seven Chinese government departments listed on the Fuqing Business Association website. What the article wants to emphasize is that the United Front Work Department is the department for China to expand its influence in the world. It’s not a crime. Is there anything wrong with expanding China’s influence? China invented paper, and using paper is China’s influence. Is it wrong to write homework on paper in school? China invented printing, and printing books is China’s influence. Is it wrong to build a library? Porcelain is a Chinese invention, and every family has ceramic bowls and dishes. This is Chinese influence, is it wrong to use ceramic tableware? The tone and subtext of the article are that all of Beijing’s influence is wrong. This is Sinophobia, and it is an article that destroys Canada’s multicultural society. It is an article controlled by the United States that destroys Canada’s multicultural society. The United Nations has a cultural exchange program aimed at promoting cultural exchange and mutual respect. Cultural exchange and mutual understanding and mutual respect among the people of the world are the cornerstones of world peace. The Fuqing Business Association has held many singing, dancing, and food activities to spread Chinese culture and enhance cultural exchanges between Canada and China. This kind of Beijing influence should be welcomed. If Beijing supports these interactions, it is fulfilling the cultural exchange obligations of United Nations member states, supporting Canada’s multicultural society, and promoting world peace. Canada should not discredit and boycott these cultural exchange activities.

The United Front originated from the Anti-Japanese Invasion War, and the main task of the United Front is to be friends and to enhance friendship. It is in Canada’s national interest that the world’s second-largest economy and the second-largest international political entity are willing to establish friendly relations with Canada. If the Fuqing Business Association is supported by the United Front Work Department of China to hold cultural exchange activities, it is China’s friendship to Canada and support for Canada-China friendship. This is a normal and healthy state-to-state exchange activity. The National Post apparently views this Chinese influence on Canada as a thorn in its side. China wants to be friendly with Canada. This kind of behavior of the Chinese government is not a threat to Canada, not hostility to Canada, but friendly to Canada, is friendly behavior to Canada. However, the influence of this Canada-China friendship is not what the U.S. military-industrial complex wants to see. The U.S. military-industrial complex just wants to damage Canada-China relations. So, this National Post article is about the US’s influence on Canada. China’s influence on Canada is to promote Canada-China friendship, while the United States’ influence on Canada is to drive a wedge between Canada and China and create conflicts and hatred between Canada and China. If the Canadian intelligence agencies want to rule out the influence of foreign forces on Canada, they should take measures to prevent the National Post from such bad influence that damages Canada’s national interests and world peace, instead of investigating China’s promotion of Canada-China friendship in a superficial manner. Influence. China’s promotion of Canada-China friendship is beneficial to Canada’s national interests and beneficial to world peace. The Canadian and Chinese governments have a cultural exchange agreement, which stipulates that the two governments encourage cultural exchange activities. The activities of the Fuqing Business Association are supported by the Chinese government, which is an act of the Chinese government in accordance with the agreement between Canada and China.

The Chinese government has always warned overseas Chinese to abide by local laws and encouraged Chinese to integrate into local society and local culture, including political culture. The Chinese government’s encouragement of overseas Chinese to participate in local democratic politics is just an act of respecting Canada’s democratic political system, rather than undermining Canadian democratic politics. The dissemination of such insinuating articles by the National Post hinders Chinese Canadians from participating in Canadian political democracy, which is an act of the United States undermining Canadian democracy. Whether it is the Chinese Council for Western Ontario Elections or the Fuqing Business Association, the activities they hold are the actions of Canadian patriotic citizens. The National Post article finally admitted that the Chinese Council for Western Ontario Elections and the Fuqing Business Association did not do anything illegal. However, this article by the National Post is an article by foreign forces influencing Canadian public opinion, undermining Canadian democracy and Canada’s multicultural society. In terms of Canadian democracy, Canada’s national interests, and world peace, Canadian intelligence agencies should investigate the National Post’s acts of sabotaging Canadian democracy and Canada’s multicultural society.

Cultural exchanges are mutual. Every year, a large number of Chinese students study in Canada, which is the influence of Canada on China and the influence of Canadian culture on China. International students contribute more than $20 billion to Canada’s economy each year. Accepting Chinese students is not only beneficial to the Canadian economy but also increases Canada’s influence on China. Originally, Chinese students had the largest number of international students. However, during the COVID-19 epidemic, the media smeared China so much and incited violent crimes of racial discrimination against Chinese Canadians. As a result, the number of Chinese students dropped by 10%, which reduced Canada’s influence on China and also detriment Canadian economic interests. And media articles like the National Post are one of the culprits. Such articles spread a lot of Sinophobia and xenophobia during the epidemic.

Canada is a democratic and open country. A democratic and open country will be influenced by countries all over the world, and the influence is mutual. The Canadian government must distinguish between good influences and bad influences. One cannot turn a blind eye to Washington’s bad influence on Canada, yet unreasonably worry about China’s good influence on Canada. As an open democratic society, Canada should have the grace to embrace China’s friendly influence.