Calgary HeraldFebruary 7, 2010 8:14 AMComments (1)

C hina's bully-boy attitude, manifested in its delisting of the University of Calgary as an accredited school after the U of C bestowed an honorary degree on the Dalai Lama, should cow no one in this democratic society.

C hina's bully-boy attitude, manifested in its delisting of the University of Calgary as an accredited school after the U of C bestowed an honorary degree on the Dalai Lama, should cow no one in this democratic society.

But it should serve as a wake-up call to those who may be lulled into complacency about China and tempted to think that because China is growing in global importance as a trade partner, it is making equal strides toward attaining more western ways of thought. It most definitely is not, and nobody should lose sight of that fact.

Noses in the Chinese government hierarchy are severely out of joint, apparently because the U of C awarded the Dalai Lama the degree. This could affect the status of the approximately 600 Chinese national students on campus who hail from Hong Kong and China. It should come as no surprise that China appears not to care how its petty, retaliatory behaviour will affect its own nationals abroad.

The U of C has nothing to apologize for, or to regret. The Dalai Lama is a renowned spiritual leader, who has been awarded numerous honorary degrees around the world, including three from other Canadian universities. Nor should any western university censure itself or make concessions to the manipulative grumblings of China. Universities have every right to grant degrees to whomever they please, and this incident should deter none of them from continuing that tradition. Caving in to a bully's behaviour only further encourages the bully to continue that behaviour, because it brings results.

That doesn't mean Alberta education officials should respond in kind or seek some sort of retaliatory action against China. That would only be stooping to the scurrilous level of behaviour the Chinese are exhibiting. Advanced Education Minister Doug Horner is taking the right approach. He wants to preserve the good aspects of the reciprocal relationship with China, while focusing specifically on dealing with the problematic part of it. Horner says he'd like "to see the situation rectified as soon as possible," and that "we'll talk to them to see what we can do."

This is the fine line that always has to be tread in dealing with China, and one that's vital on the business front. China is growing in importance as a trading partner, but Canada must carefully balance that out by not neglecting to keep the very real issue of Chinese human rights abuses in mind. That's one reason Prime Minister Stephen Harper rightly delayed his first trip to China for so long. Likewise, Alberta needs to encourage open exchanges with China, and to let the Chinese know that students are welcome here, for slamming doors over the Dalai Lama incident accomplishes nothing.

Yet, Horner must also make clear that Alberta will not be intimidated or dictated to, and that no apologies will be issued to placate China, either.

I

Brian

February 07, 2010 - 8:55 AM

How much the westerns know about Dalai Lama. He is the spirutual Budist monk or a piloticia?. Why are Canadian acting like American? In the name demoncracy and human right, the westerns have sent armies around the world, not the Chinese. Who is the real bully boy? How much changee have we made in Afghanistan and Iraq? We lost Korea, and Vietman war, will soon loose in Afghanistan and Irag. We do not feel safe to flight, we constantly watch our back. Have we wondered, why? It is because our stupid goverment policies. It is ok the America sell arms to Taiwan, it should be ok for China to sell arms State of Palestine to balance the power in the region. Come on Herald! we want facts, not bias opinion. How do you feel if China supports Quebec or BC to separate from Canada?