China could exploit business allegiance

OPINION:

While authoritarian governances such as China’s hold much sway over the corporations within their borders (and even without, to some degree), Western governances such as those of Canada and the U.S. are essentially steered by corporate interests, sometimes through economic intimidation (“Lawmakers say Chinese investment in U.S. farmland poses threat,” Web, Aug. 3). Accordingly, major political decisions will normally foremost reflect what is in big business’ best interests (but don’t expect to hear this fact readily reported by the corporate, mainstream news media).

Anyone who doubts the potent persuasion of huge business interests needs to consider how high-level elected officials can become crippled by implicit/explicit threats to transfer or eliminate jobs and capital investment, thus economic stability, if corporate ‘requests’ aren’t met. (Does Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s SNC-Lavalin affair/corruption come to mind?)

American and Canadian governances typically maintain thinly veiled yet strong ties to large corporations, as though elected heads are meant to represent big-money interests over those of the working citizenry and poor. In the meantime, why wouldn’t nations like China at least try to take advantage of this weakness in a Western governance? As much as I hate the fact, so far China seems to know how to handle/exploit us here in the West. 

 

FRANK STERLE JR.

White Ro​ck, British Columbia