In the News
APF Canada's media responses to the latest issues and events in Asia
CBC's Natasha Fatah speaks to Vina Nadjibulla on Indian PM Modi’s visit with Russian President Putin
CBC News, July 9, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: "One of the main reasons why PM Modi is in Russia ... is to make sure that Russia doesn't get too close to China. India was watching with concern the number of meetings that Putin has had with President Xi, and I think PM Modi wanted to make sure that Russia remains an independent pole in a multipolar world."
The Canada-India Relationship after India's Election
The Global Exchange, Canadian Global Affairs Institute, July 2, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy; Stewart Beck, APF Canada Distinguished Fellow
About: Host Colin Robertson talks with Stewart Beck and Vina Nadjibulla about Canada and India in the wake of the recent Indian election.
Global News
Should Russia’s outreach in Indo-Pacific be a ‘wake-up call’ for Canada?
Global News, June 5, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: “It adds an element of unpredictability and chaos,” Nadjibulla said, calling the deepening Russia-North Korea alliance an “inflection point.”
“It basically collapses the Indo-Pacific theatre with the European theatre … so the two are now really linked together.”
Taking Stock: Our chilly relationship with China
CTV News, June 7, 2024
Featuring: Jeff Nankivell, President and CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Extract: "Canada needs to have a stance [towards China] that can protect the interests of Canadian businesses."
Inde : Modi doit établir un programme économique « ambitieux » après la chute dans les urnes
Al Jazeera, 9 juin 2024
Avec : Vina Nadjibulla, vice-présidente, Recherche et stratégie, FAP Canada
Extrait : « Les investisseurs craignent que Modi ne soit pas en mesure de faire passer les réformes nécessaires pour résoudre des problèmes tels que le chômage élevé. »
The Trudeau government says a new law will tackle foreign interference. Critics say it’s not nearly enough
Toronto Star, June 5, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: “These are shocking allegations. It’s important to know what kind of privileged information was transferred, but at the very least, it is clear that the allegations are in violation of an MP’s oath of office and could be dealt with as an ethics violation by a public office holder."
Indo-Pacific pledge for new Fiji mission not yet met as diplomatic footprint slowly grows
The Hill Times, May 29, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: "Amid the power competition between the U.S. and China, there was a thought that not having on-the-ground representation in Fiji was no longer fit for purpose."
What the expansion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership means for B.C. businesses
Business in Vancouver, May 22, 2024
Featuring: Anastasia Ufimtseva, APF Canada International Trade and Investment Program Manager
Extract: “They need much more support to figure out how those tariffs apply to them and how to take advantage of them. [CPTPP] is providing the framework and now we need to make sure that specific groups benefit.”
Philippines opens door to strengthening B.C. trade ties in key areas
Business in Vancouver, May 15, 2024
Featuring: APF Canada
Extract: Manalo told attendees at the event hosted by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada that the Philippines’ goal is to strengthen trade and investment opportunities with both the province and nation.
Former Chinese envoy to Canada reassigned to Iran
The Globe and Mail, May 14, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: “It would be a more significant portfolio given the depth and breadth of relations between China and Iran. And then a relationship that is only deepening and strengthening in every domain.”
Philippines seeking Canada’s help to avoid ‘great power rivalry’ between China, U.S.
The Globe and Mail, May 14, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract:“If we want to deepen our economic as well as strategic relations with the region, the Philippines is the place where we have the greatest chance of making that happen,” she said.
Sikh activist murder triggered diplomatic tensions
CTV News, May 8, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: "We have to remember that even within the Sikh-Indo-Canadian community, only a small fraction are Khalistani supporters. We to see the totality of the diaspora community and the complexities of these issues, but above all, have to maintain open channels."
India’s envoy to Canada speaks on bilateral ties after RCMP arrests
The Canadian Press (via CityNews), May 7, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: "Despite the tensions, India remains a strong trade partner — one with increasing strategic importance for many of Canada’s peers."
Canada-India tensions rise after Nijjar arrests
CTV News, May 6, 2024
Featuring: Jeff Nankivell, President and CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Extract: "I think the overall positioning of the government of Canada on the issue these days is to try to lower the temperature wherever possible."
The Nijjar case: CBC News Network's Natalie Kalata talks with Vina Nadjibulla of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
CBC News, May 4, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Extract: "While the criminal side [of the investigation] is now moving ahead with three suspects arrested, there's a much bigger national security case that is linking what's happening here in Canada, in the U.S., as well as other places like Australia and the UK, which also have a large diaspora community."
The West Block: April 14, 2024
Global News, April 15, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Reporter: Mercedes Stephenson
Extract: Mercedes Stephenson: What is your impression of what CSIS does know about the situation and whether or not, they would be transmitting that to especially the Prime Minister's Office.
Vina Nadjibulla: I think the important thing here is that foreign interference is such a challenging issue to deal with, that we need a whole-of-government approach and then a whole-of-society approach. The fact that we haven't yet managed a whole-of-government approach and an understanding between our elected officials, between our civil servants, and between our intelligence officials in terms of the nature of the threat is concerning. What we saw this week was that clearly, our intelligence services believe that foreign interference is a grave threat. They even used the word 'existential threat' and that wasn’t really the impression that one was given if listening to the testimony of other officials this week. So I think the challenge for us is to really come to a common understanding of the gravity of this issue in the way that our allies in the US, in Australia, and the U.K. have, and then from there build a whole-of-society approach, which is really where our Foundation comes in.
Beijing is looking to improve relations with Ottawa. Should Canada play ball?
The Canadian Press (syndicated), April 8, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Reporter: Dylan Robertson via Canadian Press
Extract: Vina Nadjibulla, the research vice-president for the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the primary advocate for Kovrig during his detention, said China took a more assertive posture on the world stage around the time the two Michaels were detained, forcing a rethink in Washington.
She noted that despite the chill in relations and persistent irritants — like Canada’s concern with alleged interference in recent federal elections — Canada’s bilateral trade with China has actually grown in recent years.
“We need to get out of this framing of needing to win favour with China to be able to have a functional relationship,” she said. “The state of our relations with China is what it needs to be, and it’s moving in the direction to be more functional to serve our interests.”
There needs to be some engagement with China, Nadjibulla said, on security in the Indo-Pacific region and transnational issues such as stopping the flow of fentanyl.
At the same time, she said Ottawa should call out Chinese actions in the South China Sea that undermine the international boundaries of the Philippines and continue to support Taiwan.
“My hope is that as we stabilize relations with (Beijing) we don’t lose sight of the fact that we need to continue to deepen engagement with Taiwan, and we don’t let any kind of pressure or self-censorship come into the equation,” she added.
The Globe & Mail
Taiwan seeks bilateral trade agreement with Canada as it waits to join pan-Pacific trade pact
The Globe and Mail, March 18, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Reporter: Steven Chase
Extract: Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said Ottawa’s position as chair of the Trans-Pacific Partnership commission for 2024 offers a chance for the Canadian government to set up a transparent process for assessing and accepting new members.
“Canada takes up the chair of the commission at an opportune moment to show some leadership and move forward the process – at least by which future candidates would be evaluated and applications would be considered,” Ms. Nadjibulla said.
She said Canada could kick-start the task of creating a transparent merit-based process, which all aspirant countries and economies would have to meet to be able to join.
“You’re not saying no to this particular applicant or this particular country,” she said, “you’re just saying we need to all agree on the process and a set of standards.”
Latest detentions raise renewed questions about safety of foreigners in China
The Globe and Mail, February 12, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada Vice-President Research & Strategy
Reporter: James Griffiths
Extract: While greater awareness can reduce risk, it is contributing to a “reduction in connectivity, which is not in itself a good thing,” said Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president for research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. “At a time when we need to understand China the most, it’s difficult for people to travel.”
This is a problem for China as well, Ms. Nadjibulla said, one she hopes might be a deterrent against future arbitrary prosecutions, given that Beijing is actively trying to increase foreign investment and stop the trend of companies moving operations out of the country.
Asia After the Taiwanese Election
Canadian Global Affairs Institute, February 5, 2024
Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, and Hugh Stephens, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Host: Colin Robertson
Extract: In this episode of The Global Exchange podcast, Colin Robertson is joined by Vina Nadjibulla and Hugh Stephens from APF Canada, along with Stephen Nagy and John Gruetzner to discuss the Taiwanese election and its implications for Asia.
