The United States' decision to pause a long-standing defense board with Canada reflects growing tensions over military spending and the future direction of bilateral ties, Canadian experts say.
The US Department of Defense announced on Monday that it was pausing the Permanent Joint Board on Defense, arguing that Canada had failed to make "credible progress" on its defense commitments.
Ronald Stagg, a history professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, said the move is largely symbolic, but carries important political meaning because of the board's role in bilateral cooperation.
"It is largely a symbolic gesture, as the board does not meet very often each year, and has not been developing policies for some time," Stagg told China Daily.
Still, Stagg said the board has long represented the foundation of modern Canada-US defense cooperation.
