On the eve of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s official visit to Ottawa, the Globe and Mail reported that Canada and China had agreed to begin negotiations on an extradition treaty.

Prime Minister Trudeau must introduce greater balance into Canada’s international trade profile in order to diversify from an overwhelming reliance on the United States and towards a bilateral relationship that will ensure trade growth with China, Canada’s second largest trade partner.

As the U.S. moves to recalibrate its own relationships with a rising China on trade, the environment and security issues, its neighbors and allies are forging their own path on building economic, political, and cultural ties.

Following the ratification of Canada’s Foreign Investment Protection Agreement with China, Hugh Stephens examines the controversy surrounding the Canadian agreement and explains how existing trade and investment treaties between China and the United States promote Canadian investment interests as well.

Hugh Stephens discusses the rationale behind Canada’s recent decision to eliminate its immigrant investor and entrepreneur program, and the impact that it might have on similar US programs. The Canadian government review concluded that the investor immigrant program did not provide a good ROI for Canada. This decision, along with tighter citizenship qualification policies, will likely dampen enthusiasm for future Chinese investor immigration to Canada although other channels remain open. The termination of the Canadian program will cause increased interest in the US EB-5 visa program although absolute numbers of visas granted is unlikely to increase significantly.

After nearly two years at a standstill, Canada’s immigrant investor program, which was flooded by applicants from Mainland China, is set to come to a close with the possibility of reopening sometime in the near future. As Dan Redford explains, the closing of Canada’s program could be a catalyst for EB5 visas, a similar investment program in the United States.

Is China engaging in a modern day version of dollar diplomacy? As Fernando Menéndez explains, China’s use of political and economic influence mirrors the previous intervention of the United States in Central America and the Caribbean.

The success of the Canada-EU Trade Agreement has allowed Canada to refocus its priorities on the US-led Trans-pacific Partnership trade talks and potentially paves the way for a larger free trade deal in the future. Hugh Stephens posits that as trade negotiations continue, Canada will position itself to take a stronger foothold in Asia.

With the US military reaching out to establish a better military-to-military dialogue with China, Canada’s military initiatives should have a positive impact on US-China military relations, writes Hugh Stephens.