Global order, US–China relations, and Chinese behaviour: The ground is shifting, Canada must adjust

Abstract

Three profound shifts are coming to a head in the twenty-first century: shifts in the global order, shifts in the US–China relationship, and shifts in Chinese behaviour. These shifts are compelling Canada to reframe its relations with China. First, at the global level, the changing balance of power is leading us toward an era of polycentric global governance. Second, there is deepening antagonism in US–China relations. Third, China’s international posture has become more assertive. Canada has yet to adjust, but it is well placed to develop a global worldview in sync with twenty-first century realities. The Canada–China relationship needs to be transformed into an adaptive, modular, and strategic relationship, in our dealings with China at the global level, in triangulating our relationships with the US and China, and within the confines of our bilateral relationship. This paper tackles each area in turn.

Towards a Long-Term Sino-US Relationship: Implications and Potential Solutions of the Future Chinese Media Strategy for Global Speech Power

“…The results of the game theory payoff matrix also demonstrate that cooperation offers the best combination of benefits for both players, but in the event that the US side deliberately chooses conflict, the best course of action for China's interests is to embrace a comparable level of confrontation (Bell & Quek, 2018;Lee, 2012;Lu et al, 2020). China should be prepared to formulate a long-term plan to counter confrontation with the US at the same level and expedite the appropriate layout as the confrontation between the US and China becomes more common in the post-epidemic age (Huang & Wang, 2021;Lu et al, 2020;Massot, 2019).…”