Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen expressed hopes Tuesday that her government can build deeper bilateral ties and cooperation with Canada amid heightened tensions with China.
Speaking to a delegation led by Judy Sgro, a veteran member of the House of Commons of Canada, Tsai said she looks forward to seeing Taiwan and Canada continue deepening exchanges in all domains and "cooperate further to safeguard peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region."
Sgro, who is visiting the self-ruled island in her capacity as chair of the Taiwan-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group and head of the Standing Committee on International Trade in the House of Commons, is leading a bipartisan delegation to attend Taiwan's Double Ten National Day celebrations.
The group is the first parliamentary delegation from Canada to visit Taiwan since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The visit comes in the wake of China's large-scale military exercises following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's high-profile visit in August and nearly a week before the Chinese Communist Party's 20th congress when Chinese President Xi Jinping is seeking to secure an unprecedented third term in power.
Taiwan and mainland China have been governed separately since they split due to a civil war in 1949. China regards the island as a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
Tsai thanked the Canadian government for speaking up for Taiwan in the global arena and supporting Taiwan's international participation.
In September, a Canadian frigate sailed through the Taiwan Strait with a U.S. destroyer.
As Taiwan last year submitted its application for membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade pact of which Canada is a member, Tsai expressed hope that Canada will support Taiwan's accession to the 11-member trade agreement.
"Together, we can promote even more economic and trade cooperation and generate even more prosperity," Tsai said.
Calling Taiwan "an important stakeholder for Canada," Sgro said Taiwan is a "valuable partner for the world, beacon of stability, (and a) strong economy" and that the democratic island is "not afraid to stand up for others."
On Taiwan's wish to join the trade deal, originally known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Sgro said Taiwan, in her opinion, "has demonstrated a very solid record on complying with the CPTPP."
"And we hope as a parliamentary friendship group, and I believe most of the parliamentarians in Canada, hope that accession to the CPTPP will happen sooner than later," Sgro said.
"This is a very important part of the world, but it's also critical to have peace and stability," Sgro said, adding, "Taiwan demonstrates all of that."
