China expects Harper's visit to renew bilateral relationship

On November 26 and December 1, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang was quoted in sohu.com and the China Daily commenting on Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to China. Dr. Jiang says this visit will renew ties between both countries and establish new trade opportunities.

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Canada needs to articulate a clear China strategy

On December 2, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang published a commentary on the Canadian International Council. In the article, Dr Jiang argues, despite Harper's much anticipated visit to China, the Harper cabinet needs to formulate a strategic China policy and improve the bilateral trade and investment relationship.



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Dr Jiang was also quoted in the Winnipeg Free Press, The Globe and Mail, and The Canadian Press, commenting on the Conservative government's foreign policy towards China since they came to power.

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The costs of a tattered connection

China slap? Turn the other cheek, shake hands and get on with business: experts

Experts urge Harper not to lose focus on Asian opportunity

Obama Wraps up China Visit

On November 18 and 19, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was quoted in the Christian Science Monitor and the Malaysian Insider commenting on U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to China.

Dr. Jiang commented on China - US relations, particularly the interdependence of the two economies.

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The credit crisis and the world's financial architecture

On October 23, 2008, Dr. Jiang was interviewed in The Agenda program on TVO. The topic was "The credit crisis and the world's financial architecture: Are 20th century institutions up to the task of managing 21st century problems?"

Dr. Jiang stated that developing nations like China should be given an elevated position within the decision-making and agenda-setting structure of World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

To listen to this edition's podcast, please click here.

U. S. Climate debate why America needs more Canada

On September 26, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was quoted in Calgary Herald on Canada-U.S. energy relations.

You can read the article here.

China's Diplomatic Adventure in Israel and Arab Nations

On September 23, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was quoted in BBC Chinese News Service on China's recent diplomatic adventure in Israel and Arab nations.

You can read the article, in Chinese, here.

Canadian government slow to woo Asia's giants

On September 18, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was quoted in Ottawa Citizen on Canada's Conservative government's attempts to thaw relations with China, after a chilly start.

You can read the article here.

China's move into oil sands irks the U.S.

On September 01, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was quoted in the Globe and Mail commenting on the news that PetroChina Co. Ltd.'s $1.9-billion investment in Alberta's oil sands venture is raising alarms in Washington.

You can read the article here.

Stern Hu knows the stakes at play

On July 18, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interviewed by the Australian on the detention of four Rio Tinto executives last week in Shanghai, China, on charges of bribing staff of Chinese steel companies during iron ore negotiations this year.

In the interview, Wenran recalls Stern Hu, one of the detained Rio Tinto executives, from their days together at Beijing University. They were both studying in the history department there 30 years ago. He noted that it's unfortunate to see what's happening to him. In the world of commercial negotiations, the borderline between what is public information and what is a state secret may be easily crossed or blurred in China.

Now, Jiang says, because of China's desire to re-regulate the industry and the resulting media insistence that Chinese businesses that have acted detrimentally to that goal must pay a price, many of Hu's Chinese customers will be shaking, wondering when the police will knock on their door.

You can read the article here.

Chinese buying spree bypasses Canada

On July 17, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interviewed by Calgary Herald on China's growing need for energy and its continued quest to shore up supply through overseas buying spree in Brazil, Central Asia, Venezuela, and Russia. What's curious, however, is that none of those deals has taken place in Canada.

In the paper, Dr. Jiang lists a number of reasons for this apparent lack of activity. One of those factors is the lack of pipeline infrastructure to the west coast that could facilitate the export of oilsands production to China and other countries in the Far East. Jiang makes reference to the memorandum of understanding signed with Enbridge back in 2005 in connection with the Gateway Pipeline, but it's been almost four years since that time and the pipeline has yet to be built.

You can read the article here.

Is China Really a Melting Pot?

Banner image: Ethnic Uighurs go about their daily lives in Xinjiang's famed Silk Road city of Kashgar in China's far northwestern, mainly Muslim Xinjiang region.
Photo: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

On July 14, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interviewed by KCRW Radio on the July 6 Uyghur riots occurred in the capital of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

First the Tibetans, now the Uighurs, are challenging China's central authority. Can 56 very different cultural and linguistic groups continue to get along?

During the interview, Dr. Jiang said that Han population in the Xinjiang Region has grown from 6 percent to over 40 percent now, but the current migration trend is motivated more by economic opportunism of the "outsiders". Nevertheless, many Uyghurs view this as an infringement over their lives and interests. The tension is on the rise and it threatens stability in the region.

You can listen to the entire audio clip available on the KCRW website. Wenran's comment starts around at 31:00 minutes from the beginning.

Uighur Unrest Seen Highighting China's Ethnic Tensions

On July 13, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interivewed by the AFP, commenting on the July 6 Uyghur riots occurred in the capital of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

In the article, Dr. Jiang urges Beijing to squarely face the reality about how minorities are being treated by Hans, not only in Xinjiang, but in the rest of the country.

Even though China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported following the unrest that Xinjiang's economy quadrupled to 400 billion yuan ($60 billion) in 2008 compared with how it stood in 1997, Wenran noted that this has not produced the intended consequences of uplifting the local people as much as the Hans.

You can read the article here.

During the past few days, Wenran also did several interviews with OMNI TV, CBC National Radio News national security reporter Bill Gillespie, and CBC Radio Active Hop Spot host Peter Brown on the same topics, providing his comments, the background of the Xinjing riot, and its latest development.

Resource-rich Xinjiang crucial to China

On July 12, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interviewed by the AFP on the July 6 Uyghur riots occurred in the capital of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Wenran noted that the strategic importance of Xinjiang - it takes up one sixth of China's land mass and borders Central Asia - meant any long-term unrest would not be tolerated. He told the AFP during the interview that Xinjing is China's northwest frontier, and like Tibet, is absolutely vital to the country's security. Beijing will not compromise in any way on these regions.

You can read the article here.

West Coast oilsands exports at record, Shipments open new markets for Alberta crude

On July 09, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interviewed by the Calgary Herald on Canada's record high oil shipment in spring 2009 through the Port of Vancouver bounding for Asian markets. It was the first time tanker shipments have exceeded the 100,000 bpd threshold. The prospect of Canadian crude exports to China has also increased in proportion to China's growing oil consumption.

Wenran Jiang said China has made major acquisitions of Canadian companies such as Petro-Kazakhstan and, more recently, the $8.27-billion purchase of Addax Petroleum. However, he noted a reluctance on the part of the Chinese authorities to do deals in Canada itself. China will hold off on major investments in Canada until Canadian producers take concrete steps to provide long-term stable supplies, he said.

You can read the article here.

Why China has clenched its fist in Xinjiang

On July 08, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interviewed by the Christian Science Monitor on the July 6 Uyghur riots occurred in the capital of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

With respect to Beijing's harsh crackdown to the riots, Wenran noted that with a rising Han population, the military garrisons, and security "the absolute guiding principle" of Beijing's policy toward minorities, there is no doubt that any means will be used to crush any aspirations to separatism.

But at the same time, Wenran sees signs of a debate within the ruling Communist party. "The first thing the authorities need to do is to actually acknowledge the problem," says him. He believes that "more thoughtful" leaders will seek a "more sophisticated" response to Sunday's unrest than a further crackdown.

You can read the article here.

New Frontier, same old problems for China

On July 07, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, wrote an Op-ed article in the Globe and Mail newspaper commenting on the July 6 Uyghur riots occurred in the capital of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Dr. Jiang noted in the paper that the unrest raises serious questions about China's stability, the distribution of its wealth and long-term relations between the Han majority and other ethnic groups.

Dr. Jiang first provided a historical and geopolitical background on the Xinjiang Region, followed by his opinion that force alone cannot maintain stability.

He holds the view that ethnic minorities' frustrations and grievances need to be addressed in the long run with innovative policy initiatives if Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao are to be true to their words of building a “harmonious society.”

You can read the article here.

China thirsty for foreign oil

On June 30, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta, was interviewed by the Globe and Mail on China's increasing appetite for crude oil, which has driven it to spend billions to acquire foreign oil producers and construct vast storage facilities to safeguard future needs.

Wenran noted that much of China's demand has come from new car owners -- in May, the government said sales increased by 54.7 per cent year over year to 812,178 vehicles. He further noted that China sold more cars last year than the U.S., and will see another 10-per-cent rise this year. He thinks this means that China is a fast-growing market for oil, and its potential appetite will be huge.

You can read the article here.

China's unquenchable thirst for oil

June 27, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang, Mactaggart Research Chair at the China Institute and Associate Professor of Political Science, was quoted in the Global and Mail on Sinopec's attempt to acquire Canadian-based oil company Addax for more than $8 billion Canadian dollars.

Dr. Jiang, who maintains close ties to many major Chinese energy firms, said in the paper that oil companies around the world are looking for investment from China. But so far, he said, Canadian-based firms are more likely to sell offshore assets to the Chinese than their domestic holdings.

You can read the article here.

Despite recession, the Chinese are aggressively pursuing energy assets.
Copyright: The Globe and Mail

Tiananmen 20 years later: The withering of ideologies

Chinese not willing to jeopardize their prosperity by pressing for political reform

The Toronto Star
Jun 04, 2009 04:30 AM
WENRAN JIANG

Twenty years ago today, Canadians and people around the world were glued to their televisions to watch the tragic events in Beijing unfold as the Chinese government used force to crack down on demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square.

Two decades later, there is much debate about the nature of the student-led movement. While Beijing officially labels it as "turmoil," some call it a forgotten revolution, or even the end of revolution. For most, however, life has moved on and memories of the bloodshed have faded. When I began teaching at the University of Alberta in 1993, all students, including those from China, could recall the live coverage of the Beijing demonstrations. Today, they learn about the event the same way they do the Korean war.

Many young people who participated in the student demonstrations now live affluent middle-class lives, with their own apartments, cars and other modern gadgets, enjoying China's new urban prosperity.

They look back at 1989 with mixed feelings of nostalgia and realism. "It was an exciting moment in Chinese history, and my heart is always with those students," a friend told me recently in Beijing, "but I won't go to Tiananmen now if the same thing happens again, and I won't donate money and time as I did last time."

"Why?" I pressed further.

"Well, I have benefited a lot from the reforms since then, and there is so much to lose if there are dramatic changes."

Indeed, the Chinese government has made providing economic benefits to most citizens its top priority for the past two decades. As Deng Xiaoping, the paramount leader who ordered the bloody crackdown, put it: "Economic development is the core."

This doctrine is based on three pragmatic calculations.

First, the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist party's monopoly on power derives from continuously improving living conditions for the ordinary people. Post-1989 China, while resisting political reform, has experienced explosive economic growth at an annual rate of around 10 per cent. Beijing, Shanghai and other large Chinese cities have been transformed into modern metropolises. Several hundred million poor people have been lifted out of poverty. Today, most Chinese are satisfied with the country's material progress, and China soon will overtake Japan as the second largest economy in the world.

Second, China is becoming a modern world power not through democratization – as Mikhail Gorbachev tried in the Soviet Union – but through Western-style capitalism. Facing post-Tiananmen sanctions by Western countries, Deng asserted that the only way for China to break its international isolation was to pursue open-door economic policies. Believing that foreign multinational corporations were driven by the logic of profit, he predicted that if China could make itself a profitable place, they would return – and so would their governments. And they did. China today attracts the world's largest share of foreign direct investment, holds the largest foreign reserves, and is the largest creditor of the United States. And most Western leaders are muted about Tiananmen.

Third, political and social stability must be maintained at all cost. Zhao Ziyang, the former Communist party general secretary who lost his job in 1989 due to his sympathy with the student movement, revealed in a newly published memoir based on tapes recorded before his death that the Chinese leadership was split on how to deal with the protest: one side favoured negotiation and the other urged force. The latter prevailed at the time but the lessons were not lost on those involved. Today, Beijing does everything possible to preserve elite unity and safeguard social stability. "To nip it in the bud" has become the guiding principle in dealing with any challenges to authority.

Beneath the surface of China's brutal pragmatism, however, there is an ever-growing undercurrent for further political openness. For hundreds of parents who lost their beloved sons and daughters 20 years ago, life has never returned to normal. A group of "Tiananmen Mothers" continues to demand answers from the government. Pressure for transparency, anti-corruption, freedom of expression and other political reforms, all of them raised two decades ago, continues to build from the bottom up.

But unlike the students of the 1980s, many of whom adored the "Goddess of Democracy" and passionately advocated "total Westernization" as the answer to China's political future, Chinese youth today are more sophisticated and critical. They still share the last generation's idealism but are much less ideological.

And there is an unspoken but widely shared consensus among the Chinese people that, sooner or later, the official verdict on the Tiananmen movement as "anti-government riots" will be reversed and the patriotism of the students recognized.

In the mid-1970s, a group of foreign visitors asked long-serving Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, who had studied in France in his youth, about the historical significance of the 1789 French Revolution, which was approaching its 200th anniversary. Zhou reportedly paused for a moment and responded, "It is still too early to tell."

Those were the thoughts going through my mind when I went to Zhao Ziyang's home to pay my respects after he passed away in January 2005 and later attended his funeral – the only foreign academic to do so. I admired his final effort to avoid violent repression of the students in 1989. Today, I remain hopeful that history ultimately will deliver a fair verdict on the tragedy of Tiananmen.

Canada not yet ready for China

On June 3, 2009, Dr. Wenran Jiang was interviewed by the Financial Post on the recent developments of Canada China energy relations.

As reported in the Financial Post on June 2, China is renewing its push for an energy alliance with Canada and seeking the support of Canadian political leaders to establish a major energy corridor linking Western Canadian supplies to the Chinese market.

Dr. Jiang noted that the Chinese see the oil sands as expensive, largely because of high labour costs. Nonetheless, they feel they can fix the problem by supplying their own cheap workforce, as they are doing in oil projects around the world, but are frustrated by Canadian regulations and public perceptions.

You can read the article here.