Taipei, Jan. 16 (CNA) Canada will keep its Indo-Pacific technique, even when the nation elects a brand new authorities later this yr, and Taiwan will stay a robust companion, Canada’s consultant to Taipei mentioned Wednesday.
“My expectation is, Canada will, after all, proceed with its Indo-Pacific technique, and Taiwan’s place in that Indo-pacific technique will stay essential,” Jim Nickel, government director of the Canadian Commerce Workplace in Taipei, instructed reporters.
“As described within the technique itself now, we’ll proceed with our robust partnership with Taiwan,” he mentioned at a media occasion in Taipei, when requested a few potential change of presidency later this yr and the way that may have an effect on his nation’s relations with Taiwan.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced earlier this month that he was stepping down as chief of the Liberal Occasion of Canada and would stay as prime minister in a caretaker capability solely till the celebration chosen a brand new chief.
The celebration’s nationwide course of of selecting a brand new chief is anticipated to conclude on March 9, whereas Canada’s normal elections are mandated to be held on or earlier than Oct. 20.
In line with the most recent public opinion polls, the Conservative Occasion of Canada at present holds a major lead over the Liberal Occasion.
In line with the Canadian authorities’s Indo-Pacific technique, Canada will make investments assets in deepening engagement with free and democratic companions within the Indo-Pacific, together with Taiwan, and can oppose unilateral actions that threaten the established order within the Taiwan Strait.
“China is an more and more disruptive international energy,” the Canadian authorities says within the coverage doc that was launched in November 2022.
Canada will steadiness its strategy to China with diversified investments in regional relationships, together with working with Indo-Pacific companions to push again in opposition to any unilateral actions that threaten the established order within the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas, the doc states.
It mentions Taiwan a number of instances, saying that Canada will keep its multifaceted engagement with Taiwan and can proceed to foster financial and people-to-people ties with Taiwan whereas supporting Taiwan’s resilience.
In the meantime, Nickel mentioned Wednesday that Taiwan could be an excellent addition to the Complete and Progressive Settlement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which it has been making an attempt to hitch.
When Canada was chair of the 2024 CPTPP Fee, there have been “superb conversations about all of the candidates to the CPTPP, together with Taiwan,” he mentioned, when requested by reporters to touch upon the problem.
Nickel mentioned Canada could be very happy that Taiwan stays and dedicated to becoming a member of the regional commerce bloc.
“Canada believes that Taiwan could be make an excellent addition to the CTPPP, given Taiwan’s dedication to rules-based commerce, and naturally, the excessive worth that Taiwanese business contributes to the worldwide economic system,” he mentioned.
Throughout an annual CPTPP summit in Vancouver final November, the members of the commerce bloc failed to achieve an settlement to provoke an accession course of for Taiwan or China.
The CPTPP members, nonetheless, determined to launch the method for Costa Rica, which had utilized in August 2022 to hitch the bloc, a yr after Taiwan and China did.
China utilized for CPTPP membership a few week sooner than Taiwan.
The CPTPP is among the greatest commerce blocs on the earth, representing round 15 % of the worldwide economic system.
It at present has 12 members — Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the UK.
(By Joseph Yeh)
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