Canada and the Changing Security Architecture of the Indo-Pacific Region
- Authors: Volodin D.A1
-
Affiliations:
- Georgy Arbatov Institute for the U.S. and Canadian Studies Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
- Issue: No 11 (2024)
- Pages: 25-46
- Section: The Current Discourse
- URL: https://rjsvd.com/2686-6730/article/view/662431
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S2686673024110025
- EDN: https://elibrary.ru/YNHNOZ
- ID: 662431
Cite item
Abstract
The growing confrontation between the U.S. and China is drawing an increasing number of countries into this process. For Canada, which is more closely tied to the U.S. than any other country in the world, choosing a side in this confrontation was an obvious decision. Over the past two years, Canada has taken active steps to support the U.S. strategy to contain China in the Indo-Pacific region. First, in November 2022 the Trudeau government published Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy for the first time and allocated funds for its implementation. As part of this strategy, Trudeau’s government began annually deploying an additional (third) frigate to the region, increased the participation of the Canadian Armed Forces in military exercises alongside American and Japanese troops, and is developing military-technical cooperation with South Korea. Like the U.S., Canada also supports the Philippines in its territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea. Mirroring the actions of the U.S. and its closest allies in the region, Canada signed several defense and security agreements with the Philippines between 2023 and 2024. However, the U.S. does not consider Canada a valuable partner in the region because of its limited military strength and excludes Canada from new multilateral structures in the region. Canada's inability to fit into the new Indo-Pacific security architecture may encourage it to integrate into this regional security system not through U.S. assistance, but by establishing closer military ties with the United States' primary ally in the region, Japan. This approach would allow Canada to become part of the new Indo-Pacific security architecture alongside Japan.
About the authors
D. A Volodin
Georgy Arbatov Institute for the U.S. and Canadian Studies Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
Email: d.volodin@iskran.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4252-2435
Scopus Author ID: 6505811996
Candidate of Sciences (History), Leading Research Fellow Moscow, Russian Federation
References
- США сообщили, что блок АУКУС ведет переговоры с заинтересованными в партнерстве странами. ТАСС. Международная панорама. 27.06.2023.
- st Asia Security Summit. The Shangri-La Dialogue. 6th Plenary Session. Connecting Indian Ocean and Pacific Security. 2.06.2024. Available at: https://www.iiss.org/globalassets/media-library---content--migration/files/shangriladialogue/2024/transcripts/final/p6/sixth-plenary-session-qa--as-delivered.pdf (accessed 22.06.2024).
- Abbott, T. Signing Up Canada Would Help AUKUS Take on the Tyrants. The Times, 8.02.2024.
- Active and Engaged: The Future of the Canadian Armed Forces in the Indo-Pacific. 30.01.2023. Available at: https://connect2canada.com/2023/01/active-and-engagedthe-future-of-the-canadian-armed-forces-in-the-indo-pacific/ (accessed 26.06.2024).
- AUKUS Defence Ministers Joint Statement. 8.04.2024. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/aukus-defence-ministers-joint-statementapril-2024/aukus-defence-ministers-joint-statement-april-2024 (accessed 22.06.2024).
- Baker, P. Biden to Cement a 3-Way Alliance to Check Beijing. The New York Times, 18.08.2023.
- Berthiaume, L. Canada’s Absence from Security Pact a “Concern”. The Toronto Star, 16.01.2023.
- Boscia, S. Britain and US Race to Expand Pacific Defense Pact Before Election Turmoil. Politico. 19.03.2024. Available at: https://www.politico.eu/article/aukusdonald-trump-joe-biden-david-cameron-britain-us-pacific-defense-pact/ (accessed 22.06.2024).
- Canada. House of Commons. Standing Committee on National Defence. 29.01.2024. Available at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/NDDN/Evidence/EV12837864/NDDNEV88-E.PDF (accessed 26.06.2024).
- Canada Seeking to Set Up 4-Way Framework with Japan, South Korea, U.S. Kyodo News. 20.03.2023.
- Canada’s Effort to Restore Military Talks Hinges on Taiwan Policy: Chinese Ambassador. 12.02.2024. Available at: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/canadas-effort-restoremilitarytalks-192419812.html (accessed 26.06.2024).
- Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. – Ottawa: Global Affairs Canada, 2022, 23 p.
- China Condemns Canada’s Support for Philippines on South China Incidents. Reuters, 14.12.2023.
- Connoly, A. Was Canada Invited to Join AUKUS? 16.09.2021. Available at: https://globalnews.ca/news/8196164/aukus-defence-deal-canada-china-relations/ (accessed 20.06.2024).
- Cowan, J. Canada Exploring Possibility of Joining AUKUS Security Alliance, Trudeau Says. 9.04.2024. Available at: https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/canadaexploring-possibility-of-joining-aukus-security-alliance-trudeau-says-5625317 (accessed 22.06.2024).
- Crossley, G. China Condemns Britain for Taiwan Strait Warship Mission. Reuters, 27.09.2021.
- Diver, T., Barr, L. Boris Johnson Backs Canada Joining AUKUS Military Pact. The Telegraph, 9.02.2024.
- Fife, R., Chase, S. Canada Seeks to Join Non-Nuclear Pillar of AUKUS Alliance. The Globe and Mail. 8.05.2023. Available at: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-eyes-entry-into-aukus-alliance-to-help-keep-china-in-check/ (accessed 20.06.2024).
- Grady, J. Chief of Royal Canadian Navy Outlines Ottawa’s Pacific Strategy. 7.11.2023. Available at: https://news.usni.org/2023/11/07/chief-of-royal-canadiannavyoutlines-ottawas-pacific-strategy (accessed 26.06.2026).
- Hille, K., Mallet, V. China Accuses France of Illegally Sailing Warship in Taiwan Strait. Financial Times, 25.04.2019.
- Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States. February 2022. Available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/U.S.-Indo-Pacific-Strategy.pdf (accessed 16.06.2024).
- Joint Leaders’ Statement on ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership. Jakarta, Indonesia. 6.09.2023. Available at: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2023/09/06/joint-leaders-statement-asean-canada-strategic-partnership (accessed 18.06.2024).
- Leaders’ Joint Statement in Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Between the Republic of Korea and Canada: Stronger Together for the Next 60 Years. Seoul, Republic of Korea. 17.05.2023. Available at: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2023/05/17/leaders-joint-statementcommemoration60th-anniversary-diplomatic (accessed 18.06.2024).
- Lee, M. US Fears Canada-India Row Over Sikh Activist’s Killing Could Upend Strategy for Countering China. 7.10.2023. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/us-canada-sikh-killing-india-china-pacific-ebec0fcec449f0335b3b0db6e3d30650 (accessed 16.06.2024).
- Minister Anand Announces Defence and Security Elements of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. 27.11.2022. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-nationaldefence/news/2022/11/minister-anand-announces-defence-and-security-elementsof-canadas-indo-pacific-strategy.html (accessed 26.06.2024).
- Orr, B. US Navy Sends First Warship Through Taiwan Strait Post-Election. Reuters, 24.01.2024.
- Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence. – Ottawa: Department of National Defence, 2024, 36 p.
- Philippines, Canada Sign Agreement on Defence Cooperation. Reuters, 19.01.2024.
- Robertson, D. Indian Envoy Warns of “Big Red Line” Days After Charges Laid in Nijjar Case. CBC. 7.05.2024. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/indiaenvoyto-adress-bilateral-relations-1.7196204 (accessed 26.06.2024).
- Royal Canadian Navy Ships Deploy to Indo-Pacific Region. Canada. Department on National Defence. News Release. 14.08.2023.
- Sevastopulo, D. Canada to Send More Warships Through Taiwan Strait in Signal to China. Financial Times. 5.12.2022. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/b19721e8-7bfc-44f2-9f72-971a63d2bfac (accessed 26.06.2024).
- Sevastopulo, D. AUKUS Weighs Expanding Security Pact to Deter China in Indo-Pacific. Financial Times. 7.04.2024. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/bd94b87a-0395-420b-a35c-909b1762650a (accessed 26.06.2024).
- Song Sang-ho. S. Korea, Canada Ink Revised Arms Industry Cooperation Pact. Yonhap, 16.12.2022.
- The Republic of Korea and Canada: Stronger Together-Joint Leaders’ Statement. 23.09.2022. Available at: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2022/09/23/republic-korea-and-canada-stronger-together-joint-leaders-statement (accessed 18.06.2024).
- Van Dyk, S. No Plans to Invite Canada to Join AUKUS: White House. CTV News. 11.06.2023. Available at: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/no-plans-to-invite-canadatojoin-aukus-white-house-1.6436328 (4.07.2024).
- Володин Д.А. 2022. Перезагрузка политики Канады в отношении Китая. Россия и Америка в XXI веке. № 1. Available at: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760018764-71/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.18254/S207054760018764-7.
- Volodin, D.A. 2022. Perezagruzka politiki Kanady v otnoshenii Kitaia [Reboot of Canada’s Policy towards China after the 2021 Parliamentary Elections] (In Russ.). Russia and America in the XXI Century. No. 1. Available at: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760018764-7-1/.
- Исраелян Е.В. 2023a. Канада и страны Корейского полуострова: возможности и проблемы. Россия и Америка в XXI веке. № 3. Available at: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760026339-9-1/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.18254/S207054760026339-9.
- Issraelyan, E.V. 2023a. Kanada i strany Koreiskogo poluostrova: vozmozhnosti i problemy [Canada and the Countries of the Korean Peninsula: Opportunities and Challenges] (In Russ.). Russia and America in the XXI Century. No. 3. Available at: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760026339-9-1/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.18254/S207054760026339-9.
- Исраелян Е.В. 2023b. Канадско-японские отношения: к 95-летию установления. США & Канада: экономика, политика, культура. № 6. С. 5–17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S2686673023060019.
- Issraelyan, E.V. 2023b. Kanadsko-iaponskie otnosheniia: k 95-letiiu ustanovleniia [Canadian-Japanese Relations: on the 95th Anniversary of the Establishment] (In Russ.). USA Canada: Economics, Politics, Culture. Issue 6. P. 5–17. doi: 10.31857/S2686673023060019.
- Хорошилов Е.Е. 2023. Экономические связи Канады и Китая в условиях переформатирования мирового порядка. Россия и Америка в XXI веке. № S2. Available at: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760027912-0-1/?sl=ru (accessed 26.06.2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.18254/S207054760027912-0.
- Khoroshilov, E.E. 2023. Ekonomicheskie sviazi Kanady i Kitaia v usloviiakh pereformatirovaniia mirovogo poriadka [Economic Relations Between Canada and China in the Context of World Order Transformation] (In Russ.). Russia and America in the XXI Century. Issue S2. Available at: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760027912-0-1/.
- Canuel, H. Canada-Japan Military Relations: Shaky Past, Uncertain Future? 1.09.2022. Available at: https://www.ualberta.ca/prince-takamado-japan-centre/news/2022/september/jacac2022 (accessed 15.10.2024).
- Gray, A., Stokes, D. From AUKUS to CAUKUS: The Case for Canadian Integration. Foreword by Hon. Tony Abbott AC. Legatum Institute. February 2024. 27 p.
Supplementary files
