21-year journey turns Canadian enthusiast into master of Chinese bonsai

From a Chinese bonsai enthusiast to a master of the art, Canadian Chad Sinclair has spent 21 years in China pursuing his passion for the country's traditional aesthetics.

Chinese bonsai, or penjing, is the ancient art of creating artistically formed trees, plants and landscapes in miniature. Sichuan-style penjing, renowned for its gnarled, picturesque tree trunks and imposing rock formations, stands as a significant school of the art form. In 2011, it was included in China's third list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Sinclair's interest in penjing began as a little boy on a tour of a Chinese Buddhist temple in Canada. He had no idea that his admiration would lead him to China, nor that he would become a promotional ambassador of the International Horticultural Exhibition 2024 held in Chengdu City of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

In 2003, Sinclair had his first encounter with genuine Sichuan-style penjing in Chengdu's Baihuatan Park.

"Twenty-one years ago, when I first came to Chengdu, this is the first place that I went to. And this is actually one of the trees that was there still, twenty-one years ago, this old pine. And it's been in the same location. I can really feel the age on this one," he said.

Years later, Sinclair became a professor of penjing and has developed his own understanding of the Chinese art.

"The twists and turns and ups and downs symbolize the way our life is. It's never an easy thing. We have good days and bad days," he said.

As Sinclair delved deeper into the creation of his own Sichuan-inspired penjing, the Canadian man also discovered an interest in Chinese painting, and brush drawing with Chinese friends has become an important part of his routine.

"I wanted to use a lot of emptiness as well as what I had. I just wanted to see if I could get a nice feel and some balance to it," Sinclair explained after finishing a painting that features wispy clouds, verdant mountain ranges and leisurely anglers.

In creating his work, Sinclair says the inspiration actually comes from his daily life in Chengdu. The serene and unhurried lifestyle of the city people has left a lasting impression on him over the past two decades.

Like many Chengdu residents, he also enjoys drinking tea, savoring the fragrance as well as the tea culture and meaning behind the leaves.

Over the years, Sinclair has often spoken to his friends from home about the fulfilling life he has in Sichuan, where he has witnessed the city's transformation and modernization, as well as its growing connectivity with the rest of China through convenient highways, high-speed rail, and other transportation.

"It's a booming country. It's growing so fast. I love it here. To go anywhere, it's quite easy now. Whereas 20 years ago, to get anywhere was quite difficult. And so people come here and a lot of times they will just want to stay like how I did it. I was only going to stay for a few years. And I am still here after 20 years," he said.

21-year journey turns Canadian enthusiast into master of Chinese bonsai

Long-standing challenges in Mexico's automotive industry have been exacerbated with the implementation of the U.S. tariff on imported cars, which took effect Thursday, fueling uncertainty and job losses.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on all imported automobiles.

Ciudad Juarez, one of Mexico's largest trade ports and a key manufacturing hub, is now facing even greater challenges as rising trade protectionism deepens existing pressures.

At a medal parts manufacturing factory that has been in operation for over 30 years, the workforce has drastically reduced from 60 workers to just 25 due to uncertainty about the future.

Even before the U.S. tariffs on imported cars took effect, mounting pressure had already begun to ripple through the industry, prompting many companies to suspend investment and procurement plans.

"Some 95 percent of the products exported from Chihuahua, where Ciudad Juarez is located, are industrial manufactured goods. We have held multiple meetings to discuss solutions. In fact, over the past year and a half, more than 55,000 factory workers here in the city have lost their jobs," said the owner of the factory.

The automotive industry is a key pillar of Mexico's economy, generating nearly 100 billion U.S. dollars in output. The auto parts assembly industry alone provides over 900,000 jobs for the country, while automotive assembly companies create 175,000 jobs.

According to statistics from the Mexican Association of Automotive Dealers (AMDA), over 40 percent of the components used by American auto manufacturers are imported from Mexico. Last year, Mexico produced four million cars, approximately three million of which were exported to the U.S.

Industry insiders indicate that due to the high degree of interdependence in the sector between the U.S. and Mexico, along with a shortage of skilled labor, the U.S. goal of bringing automotive manufacturing back to its shores through tariffs is unlikely to be realized in the short term.

Moreover, the established industrial chain in Mexico faces the risk of being disrupted, which will ultimately have repercussions on consumer spending and further exacerbate inflation in the long run.

"Young people from the U.S. are no longer willing to work in the manufacturing sector. I believe there will be no growth in the relocation of automotive parts and vehicles factories in the short term," said Guillermo Rosales Zarate, ADMA's executive president.

"Personally, I hope this avalanche of tariffs doesn't continue; otherwise, it will lead to more significant issues affecting the U.S. economy. If these tariffs remain in place long-term, it will be the American people who suffer the most," said Ricardo Ramos, a professor with the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez.

U.S. automotive tariffs deepen industry pressures, halt investments in Mexico