Abstract
What does Asia's rise mean for Canada? This introductory essay explores some of the economic, political, and military dimensions of Canada's relationship with China and India in particular, and how Canadian foreign policy might be developed to deal with a new reality where the world's economic and political centre of gravity is in the Pacific Ocean, rather than the north Atlantic. It also argues that using an informal “grand strategy” heuristic is a potentially useful way of assessing how to develop foreign policy in a complex and dynamic environment.
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Acknowledgments
The articles in this special issue were first presented at a two-day workshop held at Carleton University. After a rigorous selection process, 14 papers were presented. After a round of excellent discussant comments during the workshop, the seven articles found in this special issue went through an extensive peer review and emerge as you see them here. Without the generous gifts of time, energy and insight provided by our discussants and peer reviewers, the articles (and this special issue) would not have happened. To that end, we would personally thank the paper discussants at our conference: Jean Daudelin, Yiagadeesen (Teddy) Samy, Dane Rowlands, David Carment, David Malone, David Long, Yanling Wang and Kyle Christensen. We would also thank our anonymous peer reviewers. Finally, the special issue was ultimately made possible due to the generous financial support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Security and Defence Forum Special Project fund and the Centre for Security and Defence Studies. Carleton University and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs provided invaluable institutional support.
Notes
For example, Angus Maddison's historical GDP database estimates China's GDP to be approximately 90 per cent of America's in 2008, using 1990 Geary-Khamis dollars as the unit of measurement.
These numbers were estimated using the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's Military Expenditure database, 1988–2011.
All trade statistics estimated using the International Monetary Fund Direction of Trade Statistics database. All foreign direct investment statistics estimated using Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Foreign Direct Investment database.
Statistic calculated using Alberta Energy's leased oilsands area data and statement from Nexen that they have interests or claims on approximately 300,000 acres in Athabasca.