In the News

Thailand sells pride to counter prejudice

East Asia Forum, August 8, 2025

Featuring: Advisor, Research & Communications (Quebec), APF Canada, Alexandre Veilleux

Excerpt: "Thailand’s coalition government, which includes the Thaksin-aligned Pheu Thai Party and military-backed and conservative parties, enshrined marriage equality partly to attract the ‘pink dollar’ — the spending power of the LGBTQ+ community — and boost tourism revenue.

...But Pride events offer more than just celebratory and economic value, serving as platforms for visibility, activism and political engagement. While tourism drives much of the government’s interest in appearing inclusive of LGBTQ+ people, local movements have leveraged Pride events to raise awareness, advocate for anti-discrimination laws and strengthen community networks. Thailand’s rainbow economy is both an economic strategy and a mechanism for advancing LGBTQ+ rights."

US-India relations at their ‘worst’ as Trump slaps 50 percent tariff

Al Jazeera, August 7, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: “The breakdown of the trade negotiations was a surprise,” said Nadjibulla in response to the Trump Administrations announcement that the U.S. will be imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on India (brining the total to 50 percent) due to it's important of Russian oil.

“This is a very difficult moment, arguably the worst in many, many years in their relationship and puts India in a very small group of countries that find themselves without a deal and with the highest tariff rates. They now need some pragmatic path forward and need to find a way to rebuild trust." 

Hinrich Foundation-Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada roundtable with Mary Ng

Hinrich Foundation, August 5, 2025

Featuring: Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada Regional Singapore Office

Excerpt: The Hinrich Foundation and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada hosted former Canada Trade Minister Mary Ng on 30 July for a roundtable discussion on the challenges facing the current multilateral trading environment and how to restore stability to global trade. The session was moderated by Chuin Wei Yap, the Foundation’s research director, and Barrett Bingley, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada's Asia regional director.

‘Important conversations’ on trade ties with India will be enabled by the return of high commissioners to the two capitals: Canada minister

Hindustan Times , August 4, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: "While formal trade negotiations may need to wait till early next year, we could see discussions in specific sectors and high-level dialogue and exchanges at the level of ministers and senior officials this fall.”

India, Canada to review trade ties before resuming economic talks in 2026

Hindustan Times , August 1, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: As Canada and India hint at a reset in their economic partnership, Nadjibulla notes that "formal trade negotiations may need to wait till early next year, [but that] we could see discussions in specific sectors and high-level dialogue and exchanges at the level of ministers and senior officials this fall.

"In terms of a timeframe, what might be feasible this year is a political commitment to resume trade negotiations and a launch of a stock taking process given that much has changed in the global trade landscape and in the economic calculus of both countries in the last two years. We are not talking about picking up discussions from two years ago, the framework for a trade deal has now changed and that needs to be reflected in any resumed negotiations.”

As Trump’s August 1 deadline looms, tariffs are here to stay, experts say

Al Jazeera, July 29, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Despite announcing a string of trade deals in the past few weeks, Trump's tariff agenda, and the looming August 1st deadline, continues to put nations and economists on edge. 

Nadjibulla claims that "No one is getting zero tariffs. There’s no going back" when it comes to some of the consequences of the US Administration's 'America First' policies. 

Where do the tensions between Cambodia and Thailand come from? (Le Devoir)

Quebec’s Francophone Media, July 25, 2025

Featuring: Advisor, Research & Communications (Quebec), APF Canada, Alexandre Veilleux

Excerpt: Veilleux spoke with Quebec’s francophone media, including Radio-Canada ("L’info maintenant"),  Radio-Canada Quebec ("C'est encore mieux l'après-midi"), and LCN ("LCN maintenant"), on the escalating tensions on the Thai–Cambodian border. 

He also sat down with La Presse, Le Devoir, and Radio-Canada to point out that "the current crisis was reminiscent in its scale of a 2011 clash that lasted a week before subsiding," but that the hostilities which began last Wednesday are "probably the most intense between the two countries since 2011. This is the first time that Thailand has used combat jets on the Cambodian border."

While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made steps to defuse the situation, Veilleux notes that the hands-off approach may be ineffective. "Both sides have said they want to ease tensions... What we want to avoid, on the contrary, is a surge of nationalism on both sides. That's what happened in May, and that's where it can amplify the conflict."

Carney vs. the chiefs

The Hill Times - Politics This Morning, July 17, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: "APF Canada is hosting an invite-only India-Canada business roundtable from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Ottawa today... [that] will bring together the former high commissioner of India to Canada Ajay Bisaria, the former high commissioner of Canada to India Nadir Patel, the acting High Commissioner of India to Canada Chinmoy Naik, the director general for South Asia at Global Affairs Canada Marie-Louise Hannan, and APF Canada’s Vice-President Vina Nadjibulla

Nadjibulla told Politics This Morning that the meeting’s agenda is to 'take stock of the relationship' between the two countries and identify areas of opportunity, especially in economic cooperation and trade diversification.

'We will have a discussion to see what we are hearing from the business community, what we are hearing from the government, and how to continue that momentum,.'

...She clarified it is not an official engagement by the Canadian government, and is an informal forum similar to the ones APF Canada hosted in India in February this year, and in November 2024."

Anand says Indo-Pacific strategy will have economic focus but maintain values

CBC - The Canadian Press, July 13, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Nadjibulla explains that "Anand's visit this week 'sets the stage' for Carney's planned visits this fall to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders' summit in Malaysia and the APEC forum in South Korea."

We’ve got mail

Politico - Canada Playbook, July 11, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Ahead of Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand's meeting in Malaysia with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Nadjibulla notes that the newly appointed foreign minister will be focused on building on Carney’s June 5 telephone call with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. 

 “What China wants – and we’ve seen this in their discussion with Australia – is co-operation on AI, co-operation on technology. There are serious national security and economic security concerns.”

China’s state-driven trading and security posture, especially around technology has been a long standing concern for the U.S. – one that Canada shares. She adds that "China is not an alternative [trading partner] when it comes to those critical sectors."

Trump’s message to trade partners: Trim ties with China

The Globe and Mail, July 10, 2025

Featuring: President & CEO, APF Canada, Jeff Nankivell

Excerpt: When it comes to which nations will actually get on board with the latest U.S. push to isolate China, Nankivell notes that "for some countries, like Canada, the calculus will be obvious." 

“If concessions related to China are able to head off concessions in other directly bilateral areas, then that may be the lesser of two evils from a Canadian point of view, in a situation where there are no good choices." 

On the other hand, the decision may be harder for other Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, which had long standing trade and investment ties to Beijing. “If they do have to make a hard choice, the China trade relationship is worth more to them economically than the U.S. trade relationship," said Nankivell.

Canada turns to Asia as efforts to shift trade from United States expand

The Globe and Mail, July 8, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: In light of Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand's visit to Japan this week, Nadjibulla notes that Canada and Japan are likely to sign a Security of Information Agreement to address transfer of defence technology, a move to also divest from the U.S.

But she notes that  Canada can’t shift trade away from the United States without also investing in trade relations with Asian economies. “It’s not enough just for us to look for partners in Europe... there is no diversification or reduction of overreliance on the United States market without the big Asian markets.”

Anand visiting Malaysia, Japan as Carney crafts approach to Indo-Pacific strategy

The Canadian Press,  July 7, 2025

Featuring: APF Canada Senior Fellow, Kai Oswald

Excerpt: Taking a look at Canada's relationship building strategy with the Indo-Pacific region, The Canadian Press cite Kai Oswald's contribution to APF Canada's May 2025 Strategic Reflection: The Indo-Pacific Imperative for Canada’s New Government. His essay, titled "From Momentum to Meaning: Canada’s Strategic Opening in Southeast Asia," notes that Canada is building partnerships in Southeast Asia through prime prime ministerial visits and  trade delegations

"Even if Canada cannot offer clarity on the path ahead, many in the region want it at the table as an interlocutor and sounding board while they navigate the turbulence."

Is Pakistan pulling an end-run around India in Washington with its cryptocurrency hype?

The Telegraph Online (India),  July 7, 2025

Featuring: APF Canada Senior Fellow, Michael Kugelman

Excerpt: "Pakistan’s crypto push has already opened up many doors in Washington. Consider that until Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief, the only known visiting senior Pakistani official to get a White House meeting during Trump’s second term was Saqib. He met one of Trump’s top crypto officials.”

U.S. Carrier a Show of Strength for Manilla

South China Morning Post, July 5, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: Nadjibulla notes that the USS George Washington aircraft carriers docking in Manilla signal's the US's commitment to the Indo-Pacific region despite ongoing tensions in Europe and the Middle East. 

"Beijing will view the port call as further evidence of US containment ands justification for China's stepped-up naval activity, including 'grey-zone' tactics designed to pressure US regional allies."

Can Asian countries replace the U.S. as B.C.’s largest trading partner?

Vancouver City News, July 3, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: While BC Premier David Eby's comments that his government's recent trade mission to Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea strengthen trade partnerships and create new opportunities for Canadians in the region, Nadjibulla contends that "success would mean concrete deals, not just MOUs (Memorandum of Understanding)."

She adds that “while such visits are critical to open doors, long-term success requires follow-through mechanisms and a focus on Asia that is sustained.”

Why Google Maps Can’t Guide You Through Seoul

The Diplomat, July 3, 2025

Featuring: Research Scholar, Northeast Asia, APF Canada, Tae Yoon Eom

Excerpt: “Every day hundreds of visitors step off the AREX train at Seoul Station, tap Google Maps, and discover that the blue-dot app they use everywhere from Berlin to Bangkok will not provide walking or driving directions in South Korea. Few realize that the country – alongside China, Iran, Syria, and only a handful of others – bars foreign companies from exporting centimeter-level mapping data.

...That blind spot sits at the center of a policy battle now in its third round. Google petitioned Seoul in 2007 and 2016 for permission to copy 1:5,000-scale digital maps to its offshore servers; regulators said no both times. In June of this year, Apple filed its own request... South Korea’s “map export panel” must deliver a verdict by August. Whether it loosens, tightens, or again postpones the ban will reverberate through national security planning, the domestic tech ecosystem, tourism earnings, and South Korea-U.S. trade diplomacy."

US ending all trade negotiations with Canada over digital tax: Trump

Al Jazeera, June 27, 2025

Featuring: Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada, Vina Nadjibulla

Excerpt: “This is definitely escalation from Trump,” says Nadjibulla in reference to President Trump announcing that his administration will end trade talks with Canada. “But we have seen this tactic before. Canada will need to work behind the scenes to find an off-ramp without giving in to his demands."

“Digital tax is also part of Trump’s negotiations with the European Union [which has similar levies]. Canada will need to coordinate with the EU and other partners as it contemplates its response.”

What It Means to Build Local AI

Featuring: APF Canada Distinguished Fellow, Elina Noor

Excerpt: "Following OpenAI’s public launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the underpinnings of AI large language models seemed firmly “WIRED”: Western, industrialized, rich, educated, and democratic. Everyone assumed that if LLMs spoke a particular language and reflected a particular worldview, it would be a Western one. OpenAI even acknowledged ChatGPT’s skew toward Western views and the English language." 

Iran-Israel conflict a tough balancing act for India

The Federal,  June 18, 2025

Featuring: APF Canada Senior Fellow, Michael Kugelman

Excerpt: "What happened in the last 12 hours is really remarkable. Trump has found himself in a situation he had always wanted to avoid—being pulled into another country's war. He was elected on a platform that emphasised avoiding foreign entanglements and so-called "forever wars."

But this is not the scenario he likely envisioned. He probably thought about China invading Taiwan or something similar. Here, one of America’s closest allies, Israel, initiated a conflict, putting him in a tight spot. I had assumed Trump would try his usual pressure tactics to push Iran toward negotiation, but that clearly didn’t work."