China wants to tap Nunavut minerals: Ambassador
Diplomat trip to Nunavut seen as ‘sub-national’ exchange as federal government announces significant tariffs on some Chinese goods
China’s ambassador to Canada, Wang Di, makes a point about trade relations during a conversation with Nunatsiaq News staff Wednesday during the ambassador’s two-day visit to Iqaluit. (Photo by Corey Larocque)
China’s ambassador to Canada was in Iqaluit this week to make a case for strong trade relations.
Nunatsiaq News met with Wang Di in Iqaluit on Wednesday during his two-day visit to Nunavut’s capital.
“I think economic co-operation and trade between our two sides should be conducted based on market principles and market need, and not to be interfered by any other factors,” Wang said through an interpreter, about China’s continued desire to invest in Canada, including mining.
Nunavut is widely seen by northern political and business leaders as having a “tremendous” potential to grow its mineral sector as demand for critical minerals rises to feed renewable energy markets.
Chinese gold-mining company made a deal to buy TMAC Resources in 2020, which at the time owned the Hope Bay goldfield, located 150 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay. The deal was opposed by the federal government. (File image)
China has expressed interest in getting into Nunavut’s mining sector in the past, with the country’s most recent overture sparking some controversy.
Chinese state-owned Shandong Gold Mining Co. wanted to buy the Hope Bay gold mine complex, which is located 150 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay, for $207.4 million in May 2020.
The federal government rejected that deal in December 2020 after a national security review of the transaction.
Hope Bay was acquired in January 2021 by Canadian gold mining company Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. for approximately $260.7 million in January 2021.
Wang said he “feels sorry” that the Shandong acquisition didn’t proceed, adding that China “stands ready” to enhance exchange and co-operation with Arctic Canada.
Even though China-Nunavut trade has dropped significantly in the past few years, Wang still described it as “good” with $12 million worth of goods exported from Nunavut to China in 2023.
Iron ore represented 98 per cent of that export, he said.
With China considering itself a “near-Arctic nation,” Wang said he believes Arctic affairs should not only be a concern of Arctic countries like Canada but of the “global village” as a whole.
Wang’s trip to Nunavut occurred in the backdrop of news that Canada would impose significant tariffs on certain Chinese goods.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles and a 25 per cent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum products Monday during the Liberal government’s cabinet retreat in Halifax.
The goal, Trudeau said, is to help Canada’s fledgling electric vehicle industry to compete in a global market where China’s products are available fast and cheap.
Wang is visiting Nunavut as part of a “subnational-level exchange” with Canada, he said.
He planned to meet with Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce president Stephen Sullivan and members of the Chinese community in Nunavut.
Wang also said he wanted to experience the traditional Inuit culture. He said he was briefed about “unique food” in Nunavut.
“I was told that the craft beer here is really good,” he said.
And although he didn’t know what Arctic char was, he was still willing to explore.
Wang was scheduled to fly out of Iqaluit Thursday evening.
How could this ever possibly go wrong? I hope our leaders are aware of 🇨🇳’s proven human rights track record.
Sorry, not a fan of the current government, claiming internationally recognized water off the Philippines, Vietnam, the Chinese government would be doing this to Canada too if it was a neighbouring country.
Not only that. also planning to take over Taiwan
I don t worry about any country invading canada, lets face it , we are the unofficial 51st state.
“I think economic co-operation and trade between our two sides should be conducted based on market principles and market need, and not to be interfered by any other factors,”
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When he says, “By other factors”, is he referring to how China would put the screws to western Canadian farmers stopping all imports whenever China didn’t agree with a Canadian diplomatic position?
China operating in an isolated part of Canada is a recipe for disaster.
nope. this should not be given a heads up. china is in partnership with Iran, Russia and North Korea. A bad accident waiting to happen. Similar to the U.S.A. shutting down a huge number of chinese businesses in the U.S.A.
Why not? What could possibly go wrong? Worst case, we swap our Molson for Baijiu at the B&W.
At least China would throw some cash into Nunavut/Arctic! Come on, GN and NTI, let’s give it a whirl—what’s the harm in a little global shake-up?
Used to be ” The Russians are coming ” , never made it. The Chinese are here , got lots of money and ready to write a cheque. The new ” BAD GUYS “
Just ask a million Uyghurs in forced labour camps exactly how bad.
Hahaha the GN staff hardly work a full 4 hours. Good luck forcing anyone to work in Nunavut !
All of these Canadians are so riled up by the prospect of Inuit collaborating with anyone but Canada!
Trying to regurgitate whatever propaganda they’ve blindly accepted about China from their little TV box.
They forget that China isn’t who invaded the americas, committed genocide against the indigenous, enslaved millions of africans for centuries, it was Europeans and their settler descendants! Anything China has done you perceive as bad, Canada and the USA have done it worse! And for longer! And are still doing it.
China faced similar circumstances against European powers, the only difference is they won! And now the very idea of these Chinese working positively with Inuit infuriates our settler populace!
The above ahistorical drooling could have been taken straight from the Chinese Communist Party propaganda playbook.
Now how many bribes and all expenses trips to China is it going to take to get the Inuit corporate leadership onside this time?
You say ahistorical, yet you are not able to disprove my points. Not one bit :D.
My points stand. China did not enslave africans, did not displace or genocide natives in the americas, they have not established and maintained settler colonies for centuries on stolen land.
It was European powers.
It’s also just funny how scared and intimidated all of these ‘legacy’ Canadians get at the mere notion of Chinese people working in Canada.
Europe came to conquer and settle, these Chinese state corps want to do business. We should be scared of you, not the chinese.
Ask some African countries what they have learned about dealing with China through their infrastructure and cultural exchange projects. They wish they had never got involved with them. In Kenya for example the Chinese now virtually own the port of Mombasa. Most workers are Chinese, imported because the Chinese consider the locals unreliable, thieving “monkeys”. It is a stroke of luck the Chinese did not colonize Canada, and that it was the Brits instead. The Chinese want to “settle” by way of stranglehold business deals.
Tell us you know nothing about history or China without telling us you know nothing about history or China…
Just because China wasn’t involved in “European atrocities”, doesn’t mean they haven’t had their own. Do a LITTLE research on the matter, it won’t be hard to find.
Players in this game. If the Grays Bay road and port is built? It will be built for China’s access to their claims on inuit owned land in the Kitikmeot.
I disagree with your main point about Grays Bay mainly benefitting China, but your implied point about Izok and MMG being owned by China is a good one, and a serious omission of this article. We have a significant potential transportation corridor connecting the rest of Canada to the Arctic Ocean that hinges on a Chinese owned mining project for its viability. The situation needs to be acknowledged and managed.
Ah yes…the izok corridor. The work of the central kia that has taken all iba’s from its beneficaries for this road to a kocation away from all central arctuc communities. Why not to the communiry of kugluktuk instead from the south this road wont bwnwvit anyone in its present location. Only benefits expkoration and drilling purposes. Everthing about this road is only for the exploitation and destruction of nunavut lands. Next thing after all minerals are exploited will be to move all incoming immigrants to the north. HahahahahahA
The propaganda we receive is largely our that of own media’s doing. In this age when access to news and geo political news is readily accessable it is amazing that the majority of people (from the comments) are led to believe anything CNN. CBC, CTV, MSNBC, etc. air is accepted the unquestionable truth. Just amazing!
Please tell us the truth! We sheeple yearn to be enlightened! For the scales to fall from our eyes, to finally be rid of this false consciousness and to see the world as it is, oh Chesley please!
OK.
I suggest you research the geo political analysis by : Chris Hedges, George Galloway, Radhika Desai, Michael Hudson, Aaron Matte, Natali and Clayton Morris. There are several sources outside the main propaganda stream.
If the people in Nunavut can say no to B.I.M.’s railroad proposal, they can also say no to the Chinese.
Nunavut say No ? … not for this part of the country !!! Boy, we will even build them houses to get the show on the road ! Ten thousand inuit with shovels will work for China government anytime , lets make nunavut great like trump is to america ….have at ‘er and change none of it to Noonavoot !
I find the Canadian Government logic so interesting….
Government of Canada: It’s too expensive to build infrastructure in the north. We’ll just neglect it because they don’t represent enough votes. We’ll send Justin (or Stephen before him) for a photo-op every so often.
Government of China: We’ll invest in your territory because it has strategic opportunities for critical minerals and arctic shipping.
Government of Canada: Don’t trust the Chinese! The north is a strategic priority. We’re going to block China from investing in the territory. We’re still not going to invest in Nunavut infrastructure…
If Canada invests in the north, Nunavut won’t need to look to foreign powers to provide the needed infrastructure. Otherwise, they need to let others invest in the territory.
As you see, So many comments from the settlers who are nervous to loose grip on what they forcefully took through their mischievous ways. Look at mining companies in the north how they treat original people of the North and how they try and keep everything to themselves. Wolves pretending to be sheep’s is all you do