Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy ‘long overdue,’ shows ‘radical change’ on China: experts
Global News
The plan is "a comprehensive one," according to former Canadian ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques -- and it sends a "tough" message to China.
Canada’s new Indo-Pacific strategy is a step in the right direction and it sends a strong message to Beijing, a former ambassador to China says.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly unveiled the new strategy on Sunday, when she told reporters that China is an “increasingly disruptive global power” in a region where multiple countries are showing major economic growth.
“The Indo-Pacific is the fastest growing economic region of the world. By 2030, it will be home to two-thirds of the global middle class and by 2040, it will account for more than half of the global economy, Joly said.
“Every issue that matters to Canadians, our national security, our economic prosperity, democratic values, climate change or again human rights will be shaped by the relationship Canada has with Indo-Pacific countries.”
The strategy includes $2.3 billion in funding in the region over the next five years, all while strengthening security and intelligence networks, deploying additional military assets, investing in cybersecurity infrastructure and diversifying Canada’s trade opportunities in the region.
The plan is “a comprehensive one,” according to a former Canadian ambassador to China, and it sends a “tough” message to China, said Guy Saint-Jacques.
But he noted that a lot will remain to be seen in the “details on the implementation.”
Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, said the strategy is a sign that “good things come to those who wait.”