There is still much to navigate in the months ahead regarding China’s investigation into “dumping” of Canadian canola into the country. The initial cost to farmers with a tanked canola price is not to be understated, but the future losses could be much worse if China does eventually levy a tariff against Canadian canola seed or meal.
To unpack how we got here and if this could have been avoided, RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney sat down with Philippe Rheault, director of the China Institute at the University of Alberta and former Canadian diplomat to China, to talk about diplomacy with China, trade battles, and how Rheault sees this playing out.
Listen/watch below for more on:
- His background and his perspective on trade with China;
- Why Rheault is surprised China is choosing to target canola and not something that would be easier on the Chinese people, i.e. Seafood, lobster
- Explaining why choosing canola could be a case of “killing the chicken to scare the monkey”
- Why this positioning by China is sending a message to other powers that they mean business (Germany, Australia)
- What Canada flubbed on the handling of EV and steel tariffs — the Chinese respect some show of process or research, he says, even if it’s mostly for show (playing chess, not checkers)
- Offering a pathway for win/win
- Thoughts on what Chinese people think of Canadian products
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