Mr Wen wants "mutual trust" with Canada

Stephen Harper, the Canadian Prime Minister, left Shanghai the other day after a visit to China. The FT says that Harper has been a "strong critic of human rights abuses in China and has received a diplomatic scolding during a visit to Beijing." (FT Asia 6 December). The China Daily (4 Dec) reported that "Ottawa has aggressively criticized Beijing for its human rights record and alleged spying. And Harper was not among world leaders at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. But Ottawa has recently said "new global realities demand a modernized Canada-China relationship" and played down such issues." Both newspapers report Premier Wen's comments to journalists: "We were reluctant to see Canada alienate us in recent years. That has hampered our trade and personnel exchanges."
Watching from China, I can quite understand the reaction of the Chinese to western political grand-standing on human rights abuses in China (some justified, some not: story and fact are sometimes hard to disentangle). China's judicial and governmental system is still under reform and the West should seek to build relationships with Chinese leaders to help human rights development rather than speak in such a way that alienates the Chinese and results in the usual Chinese response of not tolerating outside interference in their internal affairs. This is the height of rudeness from a Chinese perspective and Chinese people take it as a personal insult to their integrity and way of life. Their way is to first earn respect through consistent relationships over time, exchange benefits to each other and then, in private, discuss matters of concern. Rightly or wrongly China does not easily engage in issues which it regards to be the internal affairs of another country - and it expects the same treatment from others. Human rights abuses are sadly prevelent in many countries and individual cases will gain greater attention from the Chinese when handled sensitively and privately. Mr Wen's references to the "estranged" relations with Canada are taken by the FT to "underline the growing sense of confidence among Chinese leaders...and their resentment at receiving lectures on their political system or human rights record from western politicians."