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Ottawa freezes ties with Beijing-backed development bank over allegations that it is communist-dominated
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s global communications chief, Canadian Bob Pickard, quit and fled to Tokyo fearing retaliation. On Twitter, he slammed the financial institution. Meanwhile, pending a probe, Canada has frozen all government-led activities involving the bank. Sino-Canadian relations hit rough waters.
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Beijing (AsiaNews) – While the United States is trying to improve relations with China with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his way to Beijing, Canada’s relationship with China has hit another snag.
Canada has frozen ties with the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) after its global communications chief, Canadian Bob Pickard, resigned earlier this week saying that the institution “was dominated by the Communist Party."
In resigning, Pickard, harshly criticised the financial institution. As a result, the Canadian government has decided to investigate his allegations and has hinted that it might quit the bank.
“The Bank is dominated by Communist Party members and also has one of the most toxic cultures imaginable,” Pickard tweeted. “I don’t believe that my country’s interests are served by its AIIB membership.”
After his resignation, Pickard hurriedly boarded a flight to Tokyo for safety reasons. Speaking to Reuters, he said that he had been advised not to set foot in China anytime soon.
He also mentioned the "two Michaels", Canadian Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who were detained in China for about three years in retaliation for the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, in Canada at the request of the United States.
According to Pickard, whose LinkedIn profile says he joined the AIIB in March 2022, the AIIB is a tool used by Beijing to achieve its geopolitical goals by funding the Belt and Road Initiative, the mega infrastructure project launched by Beijing in 2013.
Pickard further claims that the Communist Party interfered with his work and that it has a strong influence on the bank's decision-making body. However, he did not give any example because of his confidential agreement with the bank.
The AIIB issued a statement saying Pickard's allegations were "baseless and disappointing".
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin responded to Pickard's remarks by saying that “the AIIB abides by the principles of openness, meritocracy and transparency in employee hiring and management.”
Wang said the bank has employees from 65 countries and that its achievements have been “widely recognized by the international community”. The Chinese embassy in Canada said Pickard’s statements were lies.
In the wake of the affair, Canada's Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, said that Canada had put on hold “all government-led activity at the bank”. The Canadian government is also reviewing the allegations and its involvement in the organisation.
Freeland said she did not rule out any outcome of the investigation, suggesting that Ottawa could leave the international institution set up by China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the AIIB’s creation in 2016. Its current chief is Jin Liqun, China's former vice finance minister. The institution is considered an alternative to Western-led entities like the World Bank.
The AIIB, which claims to be "apolitical", currently has 106 members. The United States has urged its members to rethink their participation.
Canada joined the bank in 2018, but the country’s Conservative opposition party has repeatedly called on the government to withdraw, saying the bank is a tool for China to exert influence.
Sino-Canadian relations have deteriorated in recent years. Ottawa recently accused Beijing of interfering in the country’s elections and setting up secret police stations on Canadian territory.
Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat, claiming foreign interference, and China responded by expelling a Canadian diplomat.
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