BC officially gives the building of 4 ferries to China, not Canada plus using Chinese steel [Why?]

BC officially gives the building of 4 ferries to China, not Canada, plus using Chinese steel [Why?]

The Case for Building BC Ferries in China

While politicians posture, they aren’t coming up with cash to build in Canada.
June 23 2025 

Islanders look at any issues around BC Ferries wondering two things. Will service improve? And how much more will fares go up?

From that perspective, the decision to buy four new ferries from CMI Weihai shipyard in China makes sense. Especially given the fuzziness of the arguments against the deal.

No Canadian shipyards responded to the requests for bids, in part because the three main shipyards — two of them foreign-owned — are operating at capacity building taxpayer-funded ships for the navy and coast guard as part of the federal government’s 2010 shipbuilding strategy.

Politicians claim to be dismayed by the decision to build the four new ships — the largest in the fleet, each with room for 2,100 passengers and crew — in China.

Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad said the government should have ordered the ships to be built in B.C., an odd position for a free-market party. Rustad didn’t say whether all taxpayers, or just ferry users, should pay the extra costs.

BC NDP Transport Minister Mike Farnworth and Premier David Eby said they were unhappy, but not enough to do anything about the contract. And they didn’t explain why their government, which owns BC Ferries, declined to rule out ships from China if that was a concern. (The corporation has supposedly been independent since 2003 legislation by the Gordon Campbell BC Liberal government. It’s not.) 

Farnworth did note that even building the ferries in Europe — not B.C. — would add $1.2 billion to the cost.

The oddest intervention came from federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland, who released a letter Friday afternoon warning of her “great consternation and disappointment” about the Chinese-built ships.

Freeland and the federal government have no legitimate role in this debate. She notes the federal government helps fund BC Ferries, but Ottawa provides about $35 million, or three per cent of ferry revenue. Three per cent does not let you dictate to BC Ferries management.

Freeland lectures the provincial government about the security threats posed by China-built ships and huffs about buying from China “in the current geopolitical context.”

 

What context, exactly? Canada sparked a trade dispute, pre-Trump, by imposing 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese electric cars on Oct. 1. Two weeks later, the government imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum. China retaliated with its own 100 per cent tariff on Canadian canola oil and meal, as well as 25 per cent on seafood and pork.

Complex and damaging. But what does it have to do with BC Ferries?

Freeland’s government could have made it impossible for Chinese shipyards to sell to Canada by imposing prohibitive tariffs. It didn’t. Instead it’s slagging BC Ferries.

And in a glaringly hypocritical way. Last year Marine Atlantic, the federal Crown corporation that provides ferry services in Atlantic Canada, celebrated the arrival of a new ferry built in the same Chinese shipyard that will produce the new BC Ferries vessels.

And Freeland’s government continues to promote trade with China.

There are real concerns about building in China — human rights abuses, forced labour, unfair trade practices, political interference in other countries, including Canada. BC Ferries claims it has taken measures to avoid abuses.

And there are reasons to hope future ships could be built in Canada — once governments have figured out who will pay for the much higher costs. The federal government has decided, rightly, that taxpayers should subsidize Canadian construction for ships for the military and coast guard, but hasn’t introduced the same for BC Ferries or other builders.

Most ferry users — and the communities that rely on them — are just looking for better, more affordable service, even if that means building ships in China.

In 1975, a car and driver could cross from Victoria to Vancouver for $5. If ferry fares had kept pace with inflation, the cost would be $29 today. But in fact the fare, for most sailings, is $105.

If politicians want BC Ferries to build ships in Europe or Canada, they need to assure ferry users they won’t be stuck with the bill. 

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BC Ferries outsourced 4 major ferry builds to China. That means: $1B in potential contracts lost Tens of thousands of tons of steel sourced from China Zero Canadian jobs, zero tax revenue, zero industry growth And total security mess-up

We didn’t lose this contract. We gave it away to our enemy in fact. The deal must be halted immediately, this is insane. The telemetry will have to be replaced as all the Chinese telecommunication systems will have military backdoors for gathering information as well as spying devices installed throughout these four ferries.

China able to spy using intelligence-gathering devices on/in discrete locations aboard ships & ferries.

China Warns Israel of Oil & LNG Interests

China Warns Israel of Oil & LNG Interests

June 22 2025

China issues warning to its citizens in Israel

ISTANBUL 

China on Monday issued a warning to its citizens in Israel amid ongoing missile strikes between Tel Aviv and Iran.

The Chinese Embassy in Israel “once again reminds Chinese nationals in the country to closely monitor ongoing developments and strictly follow safety alerts and emergency instructions issued by the relevant Israeli authorities,” China's state-run daily Global Times reported.

“Currently, three land border crossings between Israel and Jordan remain open: the Jordan River Crossing, the Allenby Bridge, and the Yitzhak Rabin crossings.

“Travelers may proceed to these points at their own discretion, provided it is safe to do so,” the report added.

The warning came amid the ongoing air strikes between Israel and Iran, initiated by Tel Aviv last Friday.​​​​​​​

According to the Iranian Health Ministry, at least 128 people were killed and 900 others injured since the Israeli attacks started on Friday.

Israeli authorities have said at least 13 people were killed and more than 370 others injured in Iranian missile attacks.

Last Wednesday, China urged its citizens in Israel to avoid working in West Bank settlements and East Jerusalem, warning that employment in these “sensitive regions” violates labor agreements and amounts to illegal employment.

Workers in such areas, it added, would be considered in breach of contract and ineligible for consular assistance.

China warns against ‘use of force’. What Beijing said

Earlier this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated Beijing was "deeply worried" about Israel's military strikes against Iran.

Amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, China has warned the United States against the “use of force" as US President Donald Trump mulls American intervention.

Speaking at a press briefing, Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese foreign affairs ministry, said any use of force from the US would be seen as an infringement of Iran's sovereignty and security. Follow LIVE updates on Iran Israel tensions here

"China opposes any act that... infringes upon the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of other countries, and opposes the use or threat of use of force in international relations", he told reporters. 

Where does China stand on the Iran-Israel conflict? 

Earlier this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated Beijing was "deeply worried" about Israel's military strikes against Iran.

Speaking on the sidelines of a summit with five Central Asian nations in Kazakhstan, the Chinese president called for an "urgent de-escalation."

"All parties should work to de-escalate the conflict as soon as possible and prevent the situation from worsening further," Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

He added that China was ready to play a "constructive role" in restoring peace and stability to the region.

"China calls on all relevant parties, especially those countries that have a special influence on Israel, to shoulder their due responsibilities, take immediate measures to cool down the tense situation and prevent the conflict from escalating and spreading," stated Guo in another press briefing, without naming any countries.

US intervention on the brink? 

China's latest statement comes after US president Donald Trump stated he would be mulling over strikes against Iran. The United States has been a primary ally for Israel for decades, and its support has only increased after the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023. 

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump delivered a mixed message regarding Iran and stated that he “may or may not” order strikes against Iran. Adding that he has “run out of patience,” Trump has called on Iran to step back from the conflict.  

Trump creates tariff firewall against China, its companies turn attention to Brazil

China’s energy strategy faces disruption as Israel’s strikes on Iran threaten key oil supply routes. With US trade tensions rising, Chinese firms are pivoting to Brazil while Beijing accelerates its push for energy self-sufficiency. Analysts warn the conflict could weaken China’s regional influence and diplomatic ambitions.

China’s decades-long push to secure energy dominance through partnerships with Iran is facing a major test as the Israel-Iran war threatens to choke Beijing’s oil supply lines and disrupt its regional ambitions. The fallout, combined with escalating trade tensions with Washington, is prompting a reorientation of Chinese corporate interests toward markets like Brazil, according to a report by the Financial Times.

Chinese President Xi Jinping this week urged restraint from all sides in the escalating Middle East conflict, while also criticising US interference in China’s trade with Iran. Yet, concerns in Beijing are mounting as Israel continues to target Iranian oil and nuclear facilities. Analysts say this not only jeopardises China’s access to cheap Iranian crude but also threatens its broader diplomatic and energy strategy in the region.

“If this situation continues to escalate, then they lose quite a bit, both in terms of their energy security and Iran as a strategic card that China holds,” said Gedaliah Afterman of Israel’s Abba Eban Institute, speaking to FT.

Iran has become a vital energy partner for China, particularly since US-led sanctions intensified in 2018. China buys the bulk of Iran’s oil exports—reaching as much as 1.6 million barrels a day at its peak in 2024—and supplies Tehran with essential goods, including electronics, vehicles, and even nuclear equipment. But Iranian shipments to China dropped to 740,000 barrels a day by April, driven by fears of further sanctions and intensifying regional instability

The risk of an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—through which billions of dollars in Gulf oil flows to China adds to Beijing’s anxiety. While some Chinese analysts say OPEC+ producers may fill the gap in a worst-case scenario, any broader disruption would drive up prices and hit China’s energy security.

China’s reliance on Gulf suppliers is significant. Besides Iran, Saudi Arabia is its largest oil provider outside Russia. In natural gas, over a quarter of China’s LNG imports last year came from Qatar and the UAE. Even with long-term contracts, Chinese importers may be forced to turn to the spot market at higher costs if the regional crisis widens.

The FT report also highlights that President Xi’s broader strategy of energy self-sufficiency may now accelerate. China is already the world’s top user of oil, but under Xi, it has embarked on a massive renewable push. Solar and wind now make up 56% of total electricity power plant capacity, up from a third ten years ago.

“This crisis will only make Beijing double down,” said Neil Beveridge of Bernstein Research. “If it wasn’t happening fast enough before, it will be happening even faster now.”

At the same time, the US-China rivalry continues to simmer. Former President Donald Trump has moved to harden trade restrictions on Beijing, creating what analysts describe as a “tariff firewall.” Facing mounting pressure, many Chinese firms are increasingly eyeing Brazil as an alternative trade partner and investment destination, particularly in sectors like agriculture, green energy, and critical minerals.

Beijing’s broader diplomatic ambitions in the Middle East have also taken a hit. China’s influence surged with its mediation of the 2023 Saudi-Iran deal and its 25-year cooperation pact with Tehran. But analysts were quoted by FT as highlighting its role as a neutral broker has been diminished by the latest conflict and its cautious response.

“The demise or the collapse of the Iranian system or the Iranian power as we knew it is not good news for China,” Yun Sun of the Stimson Center told FT. “That indirectly means that American influence has expanded.”

Experts echoed that for Beijing, the Israel-Iran war is a stark reminder of the vulnerability in its foreign energy bets and the geopolitical limits of its global aspirations.

CCP Snooping around the Arctic looking to grab resources

CCP Snooping around the Arctic
looking to grab resources

China: We are a 'Near-Arctic State' and we want a 'Polar Silk Road'

• China's new Arctic Policy was outlined by its first official white paper, released on Jan. 26.
• China, which self-identified as a "Near-Arctic State," sought to establish exactly how it believes the region should be governed and utilized.
• That's raised fears about a Chinese takeover of the region, but experts cautioned that a geopolitical standoff over the Arctic isn't necessarily coming.
  
  
  China establishes a Chinatown in northernmost Norway
  

Wed, 14 Feb 2018

Hu Kaihong, a spokesman of State Council Information Office, shows China's new Arctic Policy at a news conference on January 26, 2018 in Beijing, China.

China announced its official Arctic policy to the world late last month, promoting Beijing's ambitions for the region and raising fears about a Chinese takeover of the polar zone.

But while the world's second-largest economy, which self-identified as a "Near-Arctic State" in its new white paper, may have it's own economic and foreign policy interests in mind, experts cautioned that doesn't mean a geopolitical standoff is coming.

Still, Beijing's new document does seek to establish exactly how it believes the region should be governed and utilized.

The paper explains that China's interests in the Arctic can be narrowed down to two categories. On the one hand, Beijing is "closely involved" in activities in the area like scientific research, resource exploration and exploitation, shipping and security. And separately, climate change and its potential consequences on the region are expected to affect much of the world, so China is naturally concerned.

"China wants to be included in economic benefits here, that is the reason for their involvement even if they do not possess legitimate geographical reasons or logic to be considered a member of the region."-Zhang Zhixing, senior East Asia analyst at Stratfor

"The Arctic situation now goes beyond its original inter-Arctic States or regional nature, having a vital bearing on the interests of States outside the region and the interests of the international community as a whole, as well as on the survival, the development, and the shared future for mankind," the white paper said.

Of note, China's emphasized in the white paper that countries should respect "the rights and freedom of non-Arctic States to carry out activities in this region in accordance with the law," specifically pointing multiple times to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Those references to international laws, however, aren't totally congruent with Beijing's history with such rules.

China's strategy

China — which is no closer to the Arctic than Poland is — has been working on its strategy for an extended period of time, with its induction as an observer state on the Arctic Council approved in 2013.

The Arctic policy is a consolidation of the world's second-largest economy's activities in the Arctic for the past five to 10 years, according to Zhang Zhixing, a senior East Asia analyst for geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor.

According to the white paper, China wants to tie the Arctic to its Belt and Road Initiative, encouraging joint efforts to construct a "Polar Silk Road" or "blue economic passage" that would link China and Europethrough the Arctic Ocean.

The Belt and Road Initiative aims to connect Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa with vast logistics and transport networks. While Beijing has touted the project as a mutual economic development initiative, it's widely seen as an attempt by China to construct a massive, multi-national zone of economic and political influence that has Beijing at its core.

The addition of the Arctic into the initiative has raised red flags for some, as the wider project is seen by some experts as an important component of China's foreign policy.

While the Arctic hasn't always been an accessible part of Chinese policy, global warming has increased the rate of the region's ice cap melt in summer, which is raising its economic potential as a commercial maritime route in future.

According to the World Trade Organization's 2017 statistical review, about 88 percent of global merchandise trade occurs between Asia, Europe and North America — some of which could conceivably pass through the Arctic Ocean in the future.

"The white paper is an official statement to ensure China has a foothold in the Arctic and the activities that are ongoing," Zhang told CNBC.

China wants to make sure its point of view is reflected in the region, through involvement in Arctic governance and by shaping its agenda, she said.

"China wants to be included in economic benefits here, that is the reason for their involvement even if they do not possess legitimate geographical reasons or logic to be considered a member of the region," Zhang said.

A glacier is seen from NASA's Operation IceBridge research aircraft on March 29, 2017 above Ellesmere Island, Canada.

A challenge

The crux of the issue, according to many analysts, is that the Arctic could tip the already rising tensions between the U.S. and China, but the situation may have been exaggerated, according to Zhang.

"Many experts are pointing to the South China Sea dispute as the eventual outcome to China's Arctic involvement, but the strategic value of the Arctic simply does not make sense for China to engage in confrontational behavior," Zhang said.

This is because "even though the Arctic Circle contains large amounts of untapped resources, as well as being a potential trade route, the full potential of the Arctic to become commercially viable seems to be at least a decade away," the Stratfor analyst said.

In the South China Sea, a resource-rich and strategic region where several nations have claims, China has ignored maritime law and a legally binding tribunal ruling by building islands there.

"If anything, Russia poses more of a threat in the Arctic to American interest."-Andrew Holland, director of studies and senior fellow at the American Security Project

Another reason why fears of dispute may be unfounded is the fact that China lacks any semblance of geographical claim in the Arctic, unlike in the South China Sea, said Andrew Holland, director of studies and senior fellow for energy and climate at non-partisan research organization American Security Project.

"China poses a challenge, not a threat, to the U.S." Holland said of the Arctic. "There has not been any confrontational behavior from China, and we don't expect to see it escalate to a confrontational stance at any point."

"If anything, Russia poses more of a threat in the Arctic to American interest," Holland said.

Polar partnerships

Through the promise of investments and trade growth, China made sure to take diplomatic steps in courting the Arctic Council.

The country entered into joint ventures with Russian gas companies, it built a large embassy in Iceland, it helped finance the Kouvola-Xi'an train in Finland, it thawed its relations with Norway and it invested into Greenland.

The influx of investments is important to Greenland's goal to become less reliant on Denmark. In exchange, China wants access to the mines in Greenland, Holland said.

The behavior echos the language used in the white paper, which is careful to emphasize cooperation (a word used 45 times in the English version) — allaying the international community's concerns about China's intentions in the polar region.

A gas derrick at the village of Sabetta in the Kara Sea shore line on the Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic circle on April 16, 2015.

Holland told CNBC that China is also talking about collaboration as a way to leverage its position in Arctic affairs with the promise of Belt and Road funds.

"China is able to provide financing for Arctic countries, their activities and expeditions," Zhang said, adding that "China may even act as a balance, to stop reliance on any single country and to encourage collective decision making."

Although Beijing may ultimately have self-interested motives, its work in the Arctic may actually prove beneficial since the Chinese are able to provide capital and joint venture opportunities to countries that lack the necessary funds, Holland said.

Still, the U.S. should step up its investments and diplomacy efforts in the Arctic in the face of China's influence challenge, Holland said. The American Security Project expert added, however, that he did not anticipate any big response from Washington D.C., as the Arctic is not high on the priority list for the country.

Other American foreign policy priorities he cited were Syria and the South China Sea: "The Arctic does not hold enough strategic value, nor is the issue pressing enough to warrant a big response from the U.S."

The new cold war: China’s creeping ambitions in the Arctic set the stage for icy showdown

AS THE Arctic ice melts a staggering amount of gas and oil will become available. And China is trying its best to be around for a possible resource scramble.

Military Ambitions