Taiwan Thanks Canada for Support as Prime Minister Prepares China Visit

Post by : Saif

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has thanked Canada for showing support during recent Chinese military drills near the island. His remarks came just days before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit China, a trip being closely watched by both Taipei and Beijing.

President Lai met a group of Canadian lawmakers at the presidential office in Taipei. During the meeting, he praised the growing relationship between Taiwan and Canada and said cooperation between the two sides has made strong progress in recent years.

Canada, like most countries, does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and strongly opposes any foreign support for the island. Even so, trade, technology, and political exchanges between Taiwan and Canada have increased, especially as China has stepped up military pressure around Taiwan.

President Lai highlighted areas where the two sides have worked closely together. He pointed to trade and technology as key fields and noted the signing of an important investment agreement in 2023. According to Lai, these steps show that relations between Taiwan and Canada are becoming deeper and more meaningful.

He also expressed gratitude to the Canadian government for speaking out after China held large military drills around Taiwan last month. Canada issued a public statement showing concern and opposing any one-sided attempt to change the current situation in the Taiwan Strait.

Lai said this response showed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are not only important to Taiwan, but also supported by the wider international community.

At the same time, the visit by Canadian lawmakers drew attention because two members of Prime Minister Carney’s Liberal Party left Taiwan earlier than planned. They said they did so after advice from the Canadian government, in order to avoid confusion before Carney’s upcoming trip to China.

The remaining lawmakers were from Canada’s opposition Conservative Party. One of them, Melissa Lantsman, told President Lai that Taiwan is a trusted partner and that it has strong friends in Canada’s parliament. She said their visit was meant to show support for the people of Taiwan.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry played down the early departure of the two Liberal lawmakers. It said Taiwan would continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Canada, regardless of political timing.

President Lai did not mention Prime Minister Carney’s China visit in his public remarks. Carney is expected to discuss trade and global security issues during his trip. The visit comes at a difficult time for Canada, as it faces tense relations with the United States due to trade disputes and strong statements from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Canada has also drawn criticism from China in the past for sending warships through the Taiwan Strait, a move Beijing strongly opposes. The most recent passage took place last September.

As Canada tries to balance its ties with both China and Taiwan, President Lai’s comments show how important international support is for Taiwan. They also reflect the delicate diplomacy countries must manage when dealing with one of Asia’s most sensitive political issues.

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