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I think it’s more of a problem in Canada.

Yes, Australia’s economic dependence is higher — in terms of trade — but when I look, as I have been doing, at the subtle but intense influence of China on Canadian institutions — parliaments, provincial governments, local governments, universities, the intellectual community, the policy community — it makes me deadly worried.

I’ve met some very well-informed Canadians who aren’t sure Canada will be able to extricate itself from this situation.

I have also been dismayed by the brazenness of friends of the Chinese Communist Party and their activities

Can you give some examples of what disturbs you so much here?

When I was last in Canada — in Ottawa, a few months ago — I was pretty dismayed at the extent of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in the federal Parliament. I should probably not say any more to stay on the right side of the libel laws.

I have also been dismayed by the brazenness of friends of the Chinese Communist Party and their activities. I’m thinking, for instance, of Chinese students on university campuses, and the really extraordinary attack on the Tibetan student who was elected … president of the (University of Toronto Scarborough campus) student union.

Photo by Courtesy of Chemi Lhamo

My response is to ask what are the authorities doing about this — the university authorities and political authorities? I think that’s the real measure of China’s influence.

I’m kind of dismayed at the apparent unwillingness of authorities to defend those essential democratic principles, including in this case the right of a minority person to participate in the democratic process on campus.