We are now in 2003 and for the Chinese, the Year of the Goat, to begin on February 1, a Gregorian month late but heavy with symbolism. More specifically, it is the Year of the Water Goat, promising adaptability and gentleness. But the Chinese calendar hedges its bets: in a 60 year cycle, there are also Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal ‘Goat’ years. Happily, the Water Goat symbolizes gentleness and a kind nature, compassion and creativity. These would be important as early in the year, new Party Leadership would reshape the State Council and articulate the government’s objectives. Happily for we diplomats, the Water Goat also is known for its adaptability and – according to some translations – diplomacy! I took the bait and decided to refer to the anticipated changes as marking a ‘Year Zero’, with the promise of a positive impact on our bilateral relationship. Whether this would be warranted or not, only time would tell.
2003
January, 2003
Anticipated visits of the PM, as well as Ministers of Natural Resources, Agriculture, Defence, Trade and Environment…letter to Prime Minister re the AECL reactors at Qinshan…Year Zero in China and impact on the Canada/China relationship…Lai Changxing: the long legal battle over his extradition to China, and the outcome… More
February, 2003
Letter to Bo Xilai…AECL…why Finance Canada should assign a Finance Counsellor to the Embassy…Minister Ye Xiaowen of the State Administration of Religious Affairs…China and the Asia Development Bank…Tibet…Education et les problems de visa… More
March, 2003
To Ottawa…Arts and Culture Round Table…Mongolia…Tibet…SARS…Canada China Legislative Association…Chengdu… More
April, 2003
SARS and more SARS…Lai Changxing…Central Party School of the CCP…WHO…China Central Television…Tibet… More
May, 2003
SARS and the CCP…China’s economy…protocols allowing Canadian agricultural products to enter China…Canada/China relations…DPRK…SARS… More
June, 2003
Beginning to adjust to a post-SARS China…letter to Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham preparatory to his visit…Minister’s speech…lessons from SARS… More
July, 2003
Canada Day…Inner Mongolia…World and China Research Institute and electoral reform…notes to Minister Graham on public diplomacy… More
August, 2003
Safety certificates for GMO products…Mongolia…Canadian Aviation Electronics and China Eastern Airlines…Terry Fox Run…China Insurance Regulatory Commission…and as an example of hope against hope, two weeks of Chinese language studies at the Shanghai Foreign Studies University... More