Explaining the Canadian response to the Tiananmen Square massacre: A comparative examination of Canadian foreign policy (China)

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the ongoing scholarly conversation concerning the determinants of Canadian foreign policy. It demonstrates the usefulness of the “interactive approach” approach in heightening the theoretical basis of the study of Canadian foreign policy and in providing a framework for further scholarly enquiry. In attempting to fulfil this objective, the study undertakes a comparative examination of alternative approaches used to explain Canadian foreign policy behaviour. In particular, explanations gleaned from an application of the dominant class, statist, middle power, and interactive approaches are compared according to the concept of explanatory richness.; The Mulroney government's decision to impose a range of sanctions against China in response to the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 1989 is the case study analysed. Chapter One examines the literature concerning the Canada-China relationship, as well as outlining the four analytical approaches to be analysed. Chapter Two outlines briefly China's history of human rights abuses, the factors which led up to the massacre, and the international reaction to the student movement by the United States and Japan. This sets the international context within which the Canadian decision was formulated. Chapter Three traces the development of Canada-China relations, especially from 1970 to Tiananmen, discusses the evolution of the theme of human rights in Canadian foreign policy, and outlines the Canadian response to the student movement. By exploring the nature of the Canada-China relationship and the place of human rights in that relationship prior to Tiananmen, Chapter Three sets the domestic context of the decision. Chapters Four and Five examine the international and the Canadian domestic reactions to the Tiananmen Square massacre. It will be shown, in Chapter Four, that the international community pressed for a lenient response. Chapter Five details Canada's then evolving China policy in light of the various state and societal pressures. Chapter Six examines alternative explanations of the Canadian response to Tiananmen obtained through an application of the dominant class, statist, middle power, and interactive approaches. Also included in Chapter Six is an evaluation of the quality of the explanation furnished by the various approaches according to the criteria of explanatory richness.