Green Party of Quebec Leader Alex Tyrrell has announced that he will travel to China this week for a six-day tour, visiting the cities of Beijing, Quingdao, and Hangzhou at the invitation of the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa. The fully funded tour will bring together a delegation of Canadian influencers, journalists, and commentators to explore Chinese achievements in green technology, diplomacy, and urban development.
“I have accepted the invitation and will be leaving in the coming days,” Tyrrell wrote. “My objective is to learn about Chinese accomplishments, to study the deployment of green technology, small electric vehicles and green urbanism.”
Tyrrell also expressed his desire to better understand how Canada can deescalate military tensions with China and build a more favorable relationship. After the official portion of the tour, he plans to explore “the high-speed rail network and some unique landscapes in and around Shanghai.”
The itinerary includes visits to historic sites in Beijing and meetings with Chinese officials. “We will sit down with officials from the Chinese Foreign Ministry to hear their point of view on Canada-China relations, on diplomacy and presumably on how Canada could benefit from a more positive relationship with China,” Tyrrell explained. “We will also observe the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s daily press briefing.”
He emphasized that this is not just a symbolic visit but a chance to directly witness the scale of China’s green transition. “The Chinese people have made spectacular achievements in technology over the last few decades,” Tyrrell wrote. “They are now operating their own space station, have plans to head up the International Lunar Station, have one of the highest ratios of electric to gas cars, they are leaders in manufacturing, in green technology, in solar panels and in green infrastructure.”
Tyrrell and the delegation will also visit conservation projects in Quingdao and the Chinese Academy of Arts in Hangzhou.
He acknowledged that the trip could generate criticism in Canada’s current political climate. “When I received this invitation, I considered carefully whether or not to accept it given the criticism that this trip could generate in the current media environment,” he wrote. “But I think that in order for Quebec and Canada to be stronger in this modern era we need to learn from and work with, rather than fight against and block out China.”
Tyrrell said he could not allow the prevailing “anti-China narrative” to influence his decision. “I did not want to refuse such an invitation just because Canadian media and politics constantly vilify the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China and even Chinese Canadians themselves.”
He also confirmed that he consulted legal experts before accepting. “I verified the legality of accepting such an invitation and was given the green light.”
For Tyrrell, the tour is not just about green innovation but also a stand against rising militarism and Cold War rhetoric. “Contrary to what many people think, China has not participated in a single war in the past four decades,” he noted. “Despite this, the Canadian government has been challenging Chinese sovereignty by flying military aircraft over the straight of Taiwan and sailing warships there as well.”
He criticized the Canadian military and embedded journalists for framing China as the aggressor. “CBC journalists have been onboard ships and aircraft during these manoeuvres and have attempted to paint China as an aggressor for patrolling its own territory. As I have said many times before, these actions of provocation by the Canadian military are both unnecessary and irresponsible; Canada has no business there.”
Tyrrell warned that these provocations and narratives could escalate into something far more dangerous. “These provocative actions along with the false domestic narrative about Chinese influence in Canadian politics is a dangerous cocktail that could manufacture consent for armed conflict. This false narrative paints China as aggressive and Canada as a victim which is inherently false.”
He urged Canadians to resist fear-based politics. “China is seeking positive relations with Canada. We must not allow the Canadian government to drag the country into a military confrontation with China by intervening in its domestic affairs and sovereignty over Taiwan. World peace can be achieved when people stand for it.”
Tyrrell also used the announcement to reflect on the history of anti-Chinese racism in Canada. “Canada has a long history with anti-Chinese racism that dates back to the construction of the Canadian railway, the Chinese Head Tax of 1885, the Chinese exclusion act of 1923 and the more recent hysteria around foreign influence,” he wrote. “In 2006, the Canadian government under Steven Harper apologized for the ‘racist actions of the past’ and the Head Tax but much more needs to be done to heal.”
He made clear that he does not expect to gain a complete picture of the country during his short visit, just as foreign visitors to Canada do not see the full extent of its own struggles. “Certainly no country is perfect. There are parts of Canada we would never showcase; like Indigenous reservations with broken plywood shacks as multi-family homes, impoverished communities without drinkable water and sub-standard health, social and education services.”
Still, he believes this visit will offer valuable insight into China’s accomplishments and perspectives. “This is a good opportunity to learn more about the achievements of the Chinese people and government and to gain understanding of their perspective on Canada-China relations.”
Tyrrell concluded his statement by promising to keep the public informed. “I plan to document my experience during this trip and share it with my followers, so stay tuned for more updates and wish me luck on this trip to the other side of the planet!”
