The ambition is clear: to become an “authentic and reliable partner” in relation to China.

Canada on Sunday presented an envelope of 2.3 billion Canadian dollars (about 1.65 billion euros) to strengthen its presence and influence in Asia-Pacific.

In particular, Ottawa plans to strengthen its military capabilities in the Pacific, including the dispatch of a frigate, the development of trade and investment, support for "feminist international aid" programs, the financing of "sustainable" infrastructure and the strengthening of the Canadian diplomatic network, says a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The future of the Indo-Pacific is ours;

we have a role to play in shaping it.

To this end, we must be a genuine and reliable partner” among Western allies, argued the head of Canadian diplomacy, Mélanie Joly, in this press release.

“This strategy sends a clear message: Canada is present in the region and it is here to stay,” she insisted.

“There is a geopolitical risk in doing business in China”

This roadmap aims "to deepen our engagement in the Indo-Pacific over the next 10 years, increasing our contribution to regional peace and security", the document states.

This strategy was unveiled following a tour of the region by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mélanie Joly, who attended several summits: that of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Phnom Penh, in Cambodia, that of the G20 in Bali, in Indonesia and that of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (Apec), in Bangkok.



Canada, at loggerheads with China, does not hide the fact that its strategy for the region was formulated in reaction to Beijing's influence.

"There is a fundamental problem with the fact that China currently does not respect international standards and tries to modify or interpret them for its own benefit," said the minister to the Quebec daily La Presse.

"There is a geopolitical risk in doing business in China," she said.

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