Canada and America's Obligations to China Essay

Around the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, British Columbia was in a period of economic explosion. Those who were willing to work hard could find many opportunities. At this time, gold was found in British Columbia and Canada became dependent on workers to finish making the transcontinental railway. Many lumbering, coal mining and fishing business were not experiencing enough growth to match the needs of the society. This portrayed Canada as a place of opportunity and settlement for Asians whose homelands were becoming overcrowded. Sadly, the early pioneer years were extremely difficult for Asian immigrants due to the extensive racism and barriers keeping them from full participation of the Canadian

As time goes on, some countries become more relevant in the global sphere while others start to fade away. Canada is a country that only becomes more relevant as time goes on. Since being granted full sovereignty, Canada has had a growing role as a major world player. Much of their international growth has to do with its close ties to the United States and the United Kingdom. However, the country has also undergone huge change and refocusing on a domestic level. With influence from both Europe and the United States, Canada has a very unique system of governing. This paper will focus on a few major areas of Canada. It will look into the history of Canada, the structure of its government, its politics, and many of the major issues it faces today.

Trade had a positive and/or negative effect on the people who were located in the regions of China and the Americas. People in the world region of China had many positives. The Americas had both positive and negative results. Some positives for China included, a good ripple effect in its economy and a lot of tributes being sent. Positives for the Americas included an expansion of knowledge, as well as discovering more from the world.

When Chinese President Xi visited Washington, President Obama brought up the human rights issue during a conference. The human rights abuse is becoming extremely exposed and other countries are starting to put pressure on China’s government to stop their harsh methods. According to the article,"Rubio:Xi Jinping 'devastating' for China Human Rights", by James Griffiths, “Human rights have taken something of a back foot in recent years when it comes to Sino-U.S. relations. President Barack Obama has been criticised by Republicans for not doing enough to pressure Beijing on the issue”(Griffiths.) Not only has the abuse been going on for decades but the violations of human rights are extremely harsh and serious. The abuses range from expensive fines to extrajudicial killings.

Following the War of 1812, the United States established itself as a world power and proved its capability to protect needy nations. After the French Revolution, nations realized the importance of balancing power and recognized the dangerousness of one nation holding excessive power. (Stanley Chodorow, MacGregor Knox, Conrad Schirokauer, Joseph Strayer, Hans Gatzke 1969) For years, America held the policy of isolationism and only intervened in other countries’ affairs if necessary. Despite strained relations in the past, diplomatic relations with China began in 1979. (Andrew J. Nathan, Columbia University 2009) Last year, an American battleship entered the South China Sea, inspecting Chinese activities. As an ally and nation known to keep the

The People’s Republic of China with a population 1.3 billion, is the third largest country in the world and has a land size of 960,000 square kilometres. It is a rapidly growing economy, with living standards being raised every year. However, human rights violations are still a part of daily life in some part of China and can still be seen in the present time. The most controversial issues include discrimination, right to live and not to be subject to torture, freedom of religion, opinion, to fair public hearing, rights to family and the right of movement. (The Consulate General of The People's Republic of China, 2003),(Infoplease, 2009)

As the 20th century comes to an end, Canada is a transcontinental nation whose interests and representatives span the face of the globe and extend into every sphere of human behaviour. However this was not always the case. When the four colonies of British North America united to create Canada on July 1, 1867, the new country's future was by no means secure. Canada was a small country, with unsettled borders, vast empty spaces, and a large powerful neighbour, the United States. Confronting these challenges was difficult for the young country. Though Canada was independent in domestic matters, Britain retained control over its foreign policy. Over the next fifty or so years, Canada's leaders and its

in the US, upper, middle, and lower. They are determined by money, the rich are

“ a secondary place among policy priorities” (Barratt, 2008, 121). It was only under Axworthy that the Canadian “gave an added boost to the status of human rights” (Barratt, 2008, 122). The use of aid to promote human rights is aligned with Canada’s mission to promote “human security goals” (Barratt, 2008, 130). In most cases, “certainly human rights have played a role in punitive aid measures against specific aid recipients” (Barratt, 2008, 132). As in all areas of foreign aid, Canada has made “attempts to steer a middle course between many competing policy imperatives” (Barratt, 2008, 160).

The U.S. trade deficit has risen more or less steadily since 1992. In the second quarter of 2004, the trade deficit relative to GDP surpassed the 5 percent mark for the first time. Many economists already considered trade deficits above 4 percent of GDP dangerously high. The fear is that continued growth in this external imbalance of the U.S. economy will ultimately spook overseas investors. http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/09/b193700.html

East and west. The relationship between the two has never been truly set in stone. Both Europe and Asia have been through many large-scale power shifts throughout the millennia. Empires have risen – and inevitably been razed. If not by conquerors, then by time itself. These empires were often led by those who yearned to increase their land and holdings, and because of this the tendrils of civilization often stretched to seek uncharted territory. This undying curiosity eventually culminated in what is now referred to as the “Age of Discovery,” which spanned from the 1500s to the 1800s. By the beginning of the 20th century, most of the world’s lands had already been discovered. Trade links between China and Europe had been around since the Hellenic Age. And in the year 1900 it had been 124 years since the founding of the United States of America. Cross the Pacific Ocean, and one would find themselves face-to-face with the United States’ distant neighbor, East Asia. In East Asia, two of the most historically significant nations are China and Japan. For a number of reasons, – which will be detailed further later on – the early 1900s were a somewhat tumultuous time for both of said nations. The 20th century was by and large a time of political and economic power consolidation for both China and Japan. It is arguable that the United States played an integral role in this consolidation. The interactions between the United States, China, and Japan highlight a time when the way that

One of the first things that come to mind about human rights in China would most likely be the Tiananmen Square massacre, where in 1989 hundreds of student protestors lost their lives to the People's Republic of China.

China and U.S. relations are complex, but it is important to attribute historical context when analyzing contemporary issues. Prior to China establishing their global role as a superpower, their nation endured nearly a century of humiliation which began in the 1800s and concluded in the mid-1900s. Although they’ve redeemed their nationalism, the intrusion of Western imperialism created tension and hostility which lasted for years after. Also, the United States’ response to local Chinese events, such as the Tiananmen Square Massacre, negatively impacted their relationship because it was an example of how American media and officials utilized knowledge about particular Chinese events and disseminated various rhetorical messages in response.

As current Chinese policies towards Sino-African cooperation give tacit consent to humanitarian misconduct of Chinese entities and indiscriminately upper-level cooperation with some authoritarian governments, such a politically unsustainable strategy jeopardizes not only the reputation of Chinese companies but also the national image of China overseas. China’s long-term stance in Africa calls for a reform on China’s African policies.

As you can see, this Chinese economic rise is slowly creating important changes here at home. No matter if the changes are seen as good or bad, they can still take their toll on the American citizens. China’s economy is getting better, in fact they are even seen to possibly