China’s embassy in Ottawa is criticizing a trip to Taiwan by Canadian MP Michael Chong, who mentioned his go to is partly to “assert Canadian sovereignty” after China’s ambassador warned towards future visits by parliamentarians.
“Canada is a sovereign and unbiased nation,” Chong mentioned in an announcement Sunday, the day he arrived in Taipei. “We don’t take course from a international authorities about the place Canadian MPs can journey internationally, and the place Canadian Navy warships can transit in worldwide waters.”
Chong was referencing a warning made by China’s ambassador to Canada, Wang Di, throughout an interview with The Globe and Mail final month.
Wang warned the strategic partnership introduced after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s go to with Chinese language President Xi Jinping can be broken if Canada sends any extra warships by way of the Taiwan Strait or if any extra MPs go to Taiwan.
He additionally didn’t seem to tell apart between events, saying no MPs ought to be allowed to go to. Chong is the Conservative Overseas Affairs critic.
The Chinese language embassy mentioned such a go to sends “a incorrect message of assist for ‘Taiwan independence.’”
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“Sure Canadian MP’s go to to the Taiwan area and his conferences with officers of the Taiwan area authorities gravely contravene the one-China dedication Canada upholds and ship a incorrect message of assist for Taiwan independence. China firmly opposes this,” the embassy wrote in an announcement to International Information.
China claims sovereignty over democratically ruled Taiwan and says it has jurisdiction over the almost 180-kilometre-huge waterway dividing the 2 sides.
Canada, like most nations, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, however the two keep de facto embassies in one another’s capitals.
Carney introduced a preliminary take care of China in January on electrical autos and canola, the partnership Wang seemed to be referencing in his remarks.
Michael Kovrig, a senior advisor with the Worldwide Disaster Group, instructed International Information that China, by issuing the warning, is making an attempt to “assert” itself and “making an attempt to maneuver the crimson strains.”
“The ambassador is making an attempt to say that you would be able to’t preserve doing what you’ve been doing earlier than and in case you do, we will likely be offended with you,” he mentioned. However Kovrig added Chong can be asserting his personal stance.
“Michael Chong can be asserting that no, he doesn’t characterize the federal government of Canada, and he has full authority to go and go to Taiwan and meet with whoever he pleases and it’s lower than the Chinese language authorities,” Kovrig mentioned.
Chong, who serves because the Conservatives’ international affairs critic, plans to go to with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te whereas he’s there.
Taiwan stays a contentious problem between China and a number of nations, together with Canada, the USA and plenty of elements of Europe.
The difficulty arose this previous week when President Donald Trump visited China and met with Xi, which noticed the Chinese language chief warn Trump that the 2 nations may conflict over the self-ruled island if it’s not dealt with correctly.
Trump’s administration has permitted an $11 billion arms package deal for Taiwan, however has but to start fulfilling it.
The U.S. has a longstanding dedication to assist the island defend itself if attacked, however Trump has proven better ambivalence towards Taiwan, fueling hypothesis about whether or not the president might be persuaded to dial again American assist.
Lai mentioned on Sunday that the arms purchases from the U.S. are “an important deterrent.”
“We thank President Trump for his continued assist for peace and stability throughout the Taiwan Strait since his first time period, together with the continual improve within the scale and quantity of arms gross sales to Taiwan,” he mentioned.
The self-ruled island and the one-China “precept” is taken into account to be the “political basis of and an inviolable crimson line” for relations between Canada and China, the embassy mentioned in its assertion.
“We urge Canada to earnestly [abide] by its one-China dedication, successfully restrain any phrases or deeds that violate the one-China precept, and chorus from interfering in China’s inside affairs,” a spokesperson for the embassy wrote.
Chong confused in his assertion the necessity to opposed the warning.
“To stay silent and comply within the face of intimidation is to accommodate this behaviour, additional embolden authoritarianism, and additional weaken democracy,” mentioned Chong. “It’s not merely enough to proclaim sovereignty; sovereignty should be exercised.”
—with information from International Information’ Nathaniel Dove, The Related Press and Reuters
© 2026 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
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