Nobody in Canada will hear about this except in BC, because people in the rest of Canada don’t hear about anything except what’s going on in Ontario and Quebec (unless it’s about the downfall of a random conservative guy, anywhere in the world, basically). So I’ll let you in on it.
In the metro Vancouver suburb of Delta —in the enclave of Tsawwassen specifically (and yes I spelled that correctly) — a huge mall was built a few years ago. It was built on the (business-friendly and treaty-equipped) Tsawwassen First Nations’ land by a well-known Quebec company, Ivanhoe Cambridge. It’s one of the biggest malls in Canada.
This week it was quietly announced at an invitation-only reception that it was bought by a group called “Central Walk.” I’d never heard of them, and I am what you might call “informed.”
This is the third major mall they’ve bought in BC lately. They’re on a commercial real estate buy-up tear.
I sought out news reports about this, which was stupid since I know better. Local reporters apparently did literally no research on this outfit. Or they did, and then they kept the information from you, for, um, reasons. I think it’s important information. I’m actually surprised our governments don’t think so too. No, I’m actually shocked (OK, shocked-not shocked).
So I did some research if you can even call 20 seconds of work research. Look it up yourself using the internets, which is apparently unavailable to the “news” media, and in 20 seconds you will find that the key person behind this obviously extremely wealthy company “Central Walk” is a very young woman named Weihong Liu. She is the board chairwoman. I’d also never heard of her.
Here is the wording on their own website:
Weihong Liu is a member of the All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce and the Provincial Congress of Political Consultation; she is the Vice President of the Chinese Women’s Entrepreneurial Chamber, Executive Director of the Guangdong Overseas Friendship Association, Chief Representative of Investment Promotions in Harbin, and Board Chairman at Central Walk, making her one of the most prominent female entrepreneurs in Asia today.
The 20-second search includes the time it takes to read this Wikipedia entry (as seen below) about that (with my highlighting and bolding throughout this piece):
The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce …consists of Chinese industrialists and business people under the leadership of the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as well as being a constituent organization of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the holder of a number of seats in the National People’s Congress.[1] The organization assists the government in managing China’s private sector economy and acts as a bridge between the private sector entities and the government.
Here’s that entry I quoted above. Click to enlarge.
Type in Provincial Congress of Political Consultation and Google directs you to this Wikipedia article (see below): The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference which includes this information:
The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference also known as the People’s PCC or simply the PCC, is a political advisory body in the People’s Republic of China and a central part of the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front system.[2] The body traditionally consists of delegates from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its allied front organizations, eight legally-permitted political parties subservient to the CCP, as well as nominally independent members.[3][4][5] The CPPCC is chaired by a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.[6] In keeping with the United Front strategy, prominent non-CCP members have been included among the Vice Chairs, examples being Chen Shutong, Li Jishen and Soong Ching-ling.[7] …
Here’s that entry I quoted above. Click to enlarge.
Separately, the United Front is explained on Wikipedia as follows (and first of all, note that its whole name is United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, since that provides yet another pretty glaring clue):
United Front … “is a department that reports directly to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which gathers intelligence on, manages relations with, and attempts to influence elite individuals and organizations inside and outside China.[1][2] The UFWD focuses its work on people or entities that are outside the CCP, especially in the overseas Chinese community, who hold political, commercial, or academic influence, or who represent interest groups.[3][4] Through its efforts, the UFWD seeks to ensure that these individuals and groups are supportive of or useful to CCP interests and that potential critics remain divided.[5][6][7]“
Here’s that entry I quoted above. Click to enlarge.
So Weihong Liu is a member of the All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce, which consists of Chinese industrialists and business people under the leadership of the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and linked to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. It seems pretty unambiguous to me that this outfit is minimally a Chinese Communist Party-adjacent organization, or is at least working toward their interests.
But the Canadian “news” media simply ignores it all. CTV News (“News”) reported on Central Walk this way:
…a commercial real estate and retail investment company with assets in Southeast Asia. …
…and then goes on basically re-reporting the company’s own news release for them. As if advertising their virtues.
Delta’s very own local paper the Delta Optimist was just as disinterested, reporting —by its Editor, no less:
… Central Walk is a global real estate owner-operator who specializes in the investment, management, and innovation of retail shopping centres.
The company began the migration of its Asianic headquarters to Canada in 2020.
They have already acquired three regional-tier shopping centres as part of its efforts to endeavour into the Canadian North American retail market. …
No reporters reported on any of the seemingly rather close ties to the China Communist Party and its United Front operation with its dubious strategy to “ensure that these individuals and groups are supportive of or useful to CCP interests and that potential critics remain divided.” Which is just about as worrisome to me as the purchase itself. Which means the Communists’ tactic is actually working.
- Real estate deals: Metro Vancouver mall has new owner | CTV News
- Tsawwassen Mills mall sold to Chinese-owned development firm | DailyHive
- New mall owners promise big changes | Delta Optimist
UPDATE May 19, 2022, 1:28 PM PDT
Canada set to announce Huawei ban from 5G network, senior official says – The Globe and Mail — so the government at least comprehends there is a real problem — at least when it’s made public.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
Contact Mr. Johannesen about this article using this form. Please refer to article's title.
FOLLOW @JoelJohannesen ON X!
- Say something. - Friday October 25, 2024 at 6:03 pm
- Keep going, or veer right - Monday August 26, 2024 at 4:30 pm
- Hey Joel, what is “progressive?” - Friday August 2, 2024 at 11:32 am
Thanks for participating! Remember to share our posts on X and Facebook using the icons atop the article!