ONLINE PROGRAMMING | MAY 5| 8PM – 9PM EST | MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS
Canada is facing renewed pressure to rethink its economic strategy: a more aggressive trade posture from Washington has brought heightened uncertainty for Canadian exporters and the Canadian economy writ large. It also raises questions about Canada’s overreliance and confidence on its traditional ally and economic partner. Despite ongoing differences between Beijing and Ottawa, Beijing has stepped in and taken a more conciliatory stance towards Canada by proposing to enhance trade between Canada and China in the wake of tariffs threats made by President Donald Trump.
This session will explore the opportunities and risks of expanding trade with China in light of growing tensions between the U.S. and China, and the potential for Canada to be caught in the middle. Discussion topics will include identifying sectors where Canada can engage with China without compromising national security interests, balancing trade diversification with geopolitical realities, and learning from other middle powers that have successfully navigated U.S.-China economic tensions. Participants will engage in a nuanced discussion on how Canada can leverage its position to maintain economic resilience in an era of uncertainty.
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About the Speakers:
A.W. Lee is Director of Inclusive International Trade at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. In his role, he promotes diversity in international trade – diversifying both Canada’s global markets as well as the profile of its exporters. A.W. Lee joined the Foundation in 2017 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Global Social Policy at the University of Toronto, where he focused on studying export needs in Ontario and trade opportunities in Asia.
Before joining the Foundation, A.W. Lee lectured on gender, race, and economic inclusion in the Women’s Studies and Sociology departments at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University. He holds a PhD in Cultural Studies and an MSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology from Queen’s University.
A.W. Lee has also been actively involved in advocating for migrant women’s rights and worker safety in the Chinese Canadian community. He has served as the Chairperson for the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNCTO) and currently serves as a Board Director for the National Coalition of Canadians Against Anti-Asian Racism (NCCAAR), where he contributes to addressing anti-Asian violence and discrimination through fundraising and educational initiatives.
Yanling Wang joined the NPSIA faculty in July 2003 as Assistant Professor of International Affairs. Prior to joining the full-time faculty, she worked at the World Bank as a consultant from 2001 to 2003, and as a researcher in the State Economic & Trade Commission, P.R. China from 1995 to 1997.
Professor Wang’s research has been on the empirical issues related to international trade and foreign direct investment at both the macro and micro levels. Professor Wang has studied the effects of imports on productivity in developing countries, and the effects of foreign direct investment on local firms’ productivity and survival using firm-level data for both Canada and China. Since 2013, Professor Wang has been studying foreign investors’ ownership structure changes in China, their R&D spending, and Chinese firms’ export expansions. Professor Wang has published numerous articles in many academic journals including the Canadian Journal of Economics, Economic Inquiry, Review of International Economics, China Economic Review, Journal of Development Studies, Contemporary Economic Policy, and International Journal of the Economics of Business, among others.