In the News

New World Disorder

National Observer - Mortal Giants Podcast, March 25, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President, Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Topic: Trump "believes in a world which is very much a zero sum transactional one. He doesn't believe in.... enlightened self interested, that it benefits the U.S. to be the leader of a rules based international order.

...he dosent believe you can have winners through trade. To him someone has to be a winner and someone has to be a loser... 

President Trump doesn't believe in that positive sum foreign policy.... he believe the world has treated the U.S. unfairly... that the US has somehow been taken advantage of rather than recognizing the U.S. has been the most innovative and prosperous country in the world... and that alliances are sources of strength."

Turning trade attention away from U.S. towards Asia will be complicated

CBC – On The Coast with Gloria Macarenko, March 21, 2025

Featuring: Jeff Nankivell, President & CEO, APF Canada

Excerpt: “We haven't seen any significant decline in [trade] despite the diplomatic tensions between Canada and China, and trade with India is also very significant, and trade with other parts of Asia is growing . . . this only becomes more important given the uncertainties around our export markets in the United States.

"I just got off the plane from a visit to New Delhi and Tokyo, and the interest of Canadian businesses to be exploring new markets, the ones who are not already engaged in parts of Asia, they're making first-time visits . . . we are starting to see an uptick in the interest in exploring opportunities.” 

When discussing Canada's tariffs on EVs from China, Nankivell stressed that Canada "should position ourselves as a rules abiding member of the international trading system. Arbitrary actions, simply following in lock step with what the U.S. doesn't look good for us in terms of those [overseas trade] relationships. Whether [those measures] can be rolled back at some point is tied up in the dynamic of the Canada-U.S. two way relationship."

4 Canadians have been executed by China this year, Ottawa says

Global News, March 19, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "This, to me, signals that China is not in the mood to make any concessions, and maybe that is not something that China’s interested in doing right now with Canada...

I don’t foresee a significant improvement given these signals that we’re getting from China."

Canada condemns execution of two Canadians in China

CTV News, March 19, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "Execution of Westerners in China is rare. The last such known case, publicly known case, was more than 10 years ago . . . So this is a deeply troubling development . . . there are more than 100 Canadians that we are aware of that are in Chinese prisons right now. The details of these particular cases are not known, but again, it's something that is a reminder of the kind of regime that we're dealing with in China.

This development shows that that [China] may not be interested in deepening ties with Canada . . . because clearly Canadian government officials tried to intervene, tried to ask for clemency at the highest levels according to the Global Affairs statement. So the fact that China was not willing to make any concessions on this, that it chose to go ahead with the executions and the timing of this suggests that perhaps the desire to normalize or stabilize relations is not actually sincere on their side.

Of course, we have to bear in mind that right now we're also in a dispute with China over trade-related matters. So all of this comes together and makes for really difficult diplomacy with China, which is a critical actor in the Indo-Pacific and globally."

Canadians Executed in China: CBC News Speaks with Vina Nadjibulla of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

CBC News, March 19, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: Nadjibulla responds to the news this week, first reported by the Globe and Mail, that China executed Canadian citizens on drug-related charges earlier this year, as confirmed by Global Affairs Canada: 

"It's a deeply troubling development. Execution of foreigns is extremely rare even in the Chinese criminal justice system, which has a 99 per cent conviction rate and carries out more executions than any other country in the world . . . 

It is a reminder of the nature of the Chinese Communist regime and the fact that we need to be clear eyed when dealing with them. For those people who were hoping that in the current climate, China may wish to strengthen relations with Canada and may wish to deepen partnerships, this shows that that's really not the case because based on the statement from the Government of Canada it seems like there were efforts to
secure clemency for these individuals. The fact that those efforts did not 
succeed shows that there was some resistance to a strengthening of 
relations at this time . . .

It was absolutely right for the Government of Canada to condemn these executions. We have stood strongly against the death penalty around the world and certainly in the case of China. It is a profoundly alarming development, my heart breaks for the families of individuals involved . . .

For those who are thinking that this is the moment for us to deepen relations with China, this is a chilling development."

Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest is as much about justice as it is about politics

The Globe and Mail, March 16, 2025

Featuring: Erik Kuhonta, John H. McArthur Research Fellow 

Excerpt: "The International Criminal Court’s stunning arrest last week of former president of thePhilippines, Rodrigo Duterte, on charges of crimes against humanity was a powerful strike for human rights and justice. It was also a decisive move by the current President,Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., against the Duterte family . . . 

Although it may be ironic that Bongbong Marcos can now make claims to the mantle of human rights, the law is nonetheless playing a crucial role in recalibrating the impunity of Rodrigo Duterte’s six long years of extrajudicial killings. Transitional justice may have failed the Philippines in the past, but it has now reappeared under the most unexpected circumstances"

Gene Bio Medical and BIDIPHAR Announce Strategic Joint Venture to Revolutionize Global Healthcare

Newswire/Gene Bio Medical, March 17, 2025

Featuring: APF Canada's Women-only Business Mission.

Excerpt: "Gene Bio Medical (GBM), a leading Canadian biotechnology company specializing in molecular diagnostics, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bình Định Pharmaceutical - Medical Equipment Joint Stock Company (BIDIPHAR) to establish a large-scale production facility in Bình Định, Vietnam. 

In November 2024, the Women's Trade mission led by Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Vice president Christine Nakamura and Director A.W Lee. visited Vietnam again and met with BIDIPHAR's CEO Ms. Phạm Thị Thanh Hương in Ho Chi Minh City, reaching a preliminary agreement."

Bloomberg: The Asia Trade 3/17/2025

Bloomberg, March 16, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "We have seen more minor de-escalation.. and of course the change in leadership here... does provide an opportunity for maybe some de-escalation... 

No matter what happens there has been a profound shift in the way Canadians view the U.S., our relationship with the U.S., and U.S. power in the world... that shift is going to be enduring the level of mistrust.. anger... and betrayal.. that is not something that will go away even if we see the necessary reduction in the threats and tariffs in this trade war."

Full segment from Nadjibulla begins at 1:12:56. 

Joly says G7 foreign ministers 'must meet the moment' as she floats maritime projects

The Canadian Press, March 13, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "According to Nadjibulla, Joly's talk of maritime initiatives is a way for Canada to find consensus and to be seen as useful to G7 partners.

'It's a really smart way to put a number of things on the agenda, and it's a crosscutting topic that showcases both Canada's capacities but also our positioning . . . 

'A key concern for Minister Joly, and for Canada in general, is to maintain G7 unity and to be able to pragmatically and practically focus on things that are important to all members, and also the U.S. . . . It's an issue that is critical to our own national security because of the Arctic.'" 

Trump’s steel, aluminium tariffs: How are targeted countries responding?

Al Jazeera, March 13, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: According to Nadjibulla, these tariffs paint an image that the US is becoming “an unreliable partner for its closest allies.”

She said countries such as Canada, Australia, and South Korea “will look to minimise their vulnerabilities” and pursue strategies like diversifying trade partners.

“When large economies engage in tit-for-tat tariff escalations, the risk of a global trade slowdown looms larger,” she said. “These measures don’t just hurt the near-term bottom line – they threaten the entire framework of open trade that has underpinned much of the world’s economic growth and stability.”

CBC host Andrew Nichols speaks to Vina Nadjibulla of the Asia Pacific Foundation

CBC News, March 13, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "While Canada has been at the forefront of the trade war and has so far kind of borne the brunt of the attacks... [but] other countries are not immune to this and that they need to be united and there needs to be solidarity, both with Canada, but also a lot of effort to have a joint approach and be ale to coordinate responses to the U.S. to apply maximum pressure . . .

For the purposes of the G7 it's an important moment for Canada to show leadership and find common ground on other important items... on items that matter to us... on stability in the Indo-Pacific."

Economy, ties with India among key focus areas for Canada's PM-elect Mark Carney

Hindustan Times, March 10, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: In response to Mark Carney's election as Liberal leader: "We shouldn't assume an automatic reset, [the relationship between Canada and India] will still require work." 

"Both governments are in 'wait and see mode' related to the 'political transition'... But Carney should be 'able to recognize the value in the partnership."

Tariff Pause: Canada Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Targeting $87B of U.S. Imports

BBC World News, March 6, 2025

Featuring: Jeff Nankivell, President & CEO, APF Canada

Excerpt: “Businesses from coast to coast are re-examining their strategic planning, their investment decisions, their production decisions, but really the main factor at the moment is just this uncertainty from one day to the next of . . . what the market access is going to be.

“Until Canadian businesspeople know where this is all going to end up, I think even those who would think about following President Trump's urging to establish manufacturing in the U.S., we don't see companies making those decisions this week . . . going to a lot of expense to build something in the U.S. not knowing if the tariff that was in place 24 hours ago is no longer in place today but could be back within a month.

“The Canadian approach clearly is to match, but not to exceed. So, I think you'll see the Canadian government and the provincial governments . . . you will see an equivalent countermeasure, but there's no desire in Canada to escalate this. There is simply a desire to fight back at a reasonable and equivalent level.”

‘Cool head’: How Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum got Trump to halt some tariffs

Al Jazeera, March 6, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "But even if Trump decides to de-escalate, Nadjibulla said, 'the damage to trust is already substantial.'

'We’ve seen him threaten new tariffs in April and continue to shift targets. That level of unpredictability erodes confidence among allies and trading partners,' she said.

The tariffs could also affect negotiations on renewing the USMCA, a free-trade pact that came into effect in 2020, was negotiated by Trump’s team during his first term and replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994. A review of the USMCA is due in 2026, but the tariffs could see talks take place sooner.

'How do you negotiate a stable agreement when one party is consistently changing the rules or imposing new tariffs without warning?' Nadjibulla asked.

'Even if some tariffs get lifted or eased, the bigger issue is that Canada and others now view the US as a less reliable trade partner,' she added."

Trump’s tariffs unleash ‘existential fight’ for Canada

Al Jazeera, March 5, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: “This is not just about tariffs. The most unsettling and profound shift that we’re witnessing now is in the relationship between Canada and the U.S.,” Nadjibulla, the vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, told Al Jazeera.

Kaeding confident after ASEAN trade mission

The World Spectator, March 3, 2025

Featuring: The Hon. Warren Kaeding, Minister of Trade and Export Development, and Melville-Saltcoats MLA

Excerpt: At the Canada-in-Asia Conference (CIAC2025) in Singapore, hosted by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada in partnership with Universities Canada, Minister Warren Kaeding emphasized Saskatchewan’s trade relationships and the importance of Canadian economic diversification. 

"Saskatchewan definitely played a key and focal point of where trade is in Canada, and then we certainly got the opportunity to talk a number of times throughout the conference about the opportunities in Saskatchewan.

“At one time, we were speaking to up to 750 people in Singapore, and they’re all from the ASEAN region. So that’s the key countries in that ASEAN region that we wanted to reach out to.”

Canada’s efforts to diversify trade in Southeast Asia ‘positive,’ but experts fear Ottawa is late to the game

The Hill Times, February 27, 2025

Featuring: APF Canada's Canada-in-Asia Conference 2025 and President & CEO Jeff Nankivell

Excerpt: Despite the right steps taken by the government in recent weeks, [APF Canada President & CEO Jeff] Nankivell agreed that Canada has several hurdles to cross before it can expand trading ties with the others in the ASEAN bloc.

Competition is tight, as several other countries have been at the receiving end of Trump’s tariff threats, and are also trying to shift their markets, said Nankivell.

“The Europeans, the Australians, the South Americans, they are all knocking the same doors at the same time … but the risk for Canadians [from tariffs] is existential compared to some of the others, and it is really important for us to expand our connections,” he said.

A PDF version of this story is available here.

Canada deepens its Indo-Pacific strategy, and Taiwan is a key partner. Think tank experts: Taiwan and Canada both have American friends, and can work together to promote the agenda and increase their influence on US policies

Storm Media (Taiwan), February 26, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: “Canada has always supported Taiwan in its Indo-Pacific strategy and has actively raised international attention to Taiwan issues.”

“. . . Taiwan and Canada have friendly allies in the US government. If they can work together to promote the agenda, they will be more likely to have an impact on US policy decisions.”

Najibullah pointed out that the Canadian government has signed a number of co-operation agreements with Taiwan, such as investment, technology and supply chain resilience, and cooperation between private enterprises should be strengthened in the future to promote practical results.

India, Canada trade ties remain stable despite political differences

Hindustan Times, February 18, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "Both [Canada and India] governments have tried to protect the[ir] economic relationship. There is desire on both sides to ringfence it from the political and diplomatic crisis.” 

... However, President Trumps proposed tariffs are “making every government reconsider fundamental assumptions about economic relations.

“The potential in the relationship [between Canada and India] is still very strong as the economies are very complementary." 

Trump’s tariffs could spur push to rewrite North America trade pact

Al Jazeera, February 14, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "President Trump’s tariff threat and his overall language and tone of coercion toward Canada has everyone in agreement that he does want to see USMCA fully renegotiated and much sooner than July 2026 or even October."