《TAIPEI TIMES》Canadian MP calls for closer Taiwan ties

‘IMPORTANT’: Ottawa has the right to decide how to interact with other countries and the way it treats Taiwan should not be affected by Beijing, Michael Cooper said

By Lu Yi-hsuan / Staff reporter, with CNA

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Canada should deepen its relationship with Taiwan without fear of China, Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper said ahead of his arrival in Taiwan tomorrow.

Ottawa has the right to decide how to interact with other countries and the way it treats Taiwan should not be affected by Beijing, he told the Central News Agency.

Cooper would be arriving with seven other Canadian lawmakers: Melissa Lantsman, Kyle Seeback, Michael Barrett, Garnett Genuis, Marilene Gill, Marie-Helene Gaudreau and Chandra Arya.

The visit follows one by a Canadian House of Commons delegation in April.

Cooper has been a vocal supporter of Taiwan, advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO during a session of the Canadian parliament in 2020.

He reintroduced the Canada-Taiwan Relations Framework Act last month, after the bill failed to progress, as it was introduced close to the Canadian elections in 2021, he said.

Canada should recognize Taiwan, as it has a flourishing democracy and freedom, and a world-leading economy, he said.

Taiwan is also a responsible member of the international community, he said, adding that the bill points in the right direction.

Under the bill, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada would be renamed the Taiwan Representative Office, and the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei would be renamed the Canadian Representative Office in Taiwan, he said.

The name changes would reflect the true situation in Taiwan, “because Taiwan’s representative office in Canada represents all Taiwanese people, not just [people in] Taipei,” he said.

The bill supports Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and trade agreements.

It promotes meaningful security and defense cooperation between Canada and Taiwan, and exempts the president or senior government officials of Taiwan from the requirement to obtain a visa for non-official visits to Canada.

In Canadian law, any reference to foreign states or their governments should be deemed to include Taiwan, according to the bill.

The bill, which passed its first reading last month, has received positive feedback from many lawmakers, Cooper said.

The bill would generate more discussions on the Taiwan issue, he said, adding that “all sectors in the society should discuss it more and recognize the existence of Taiwan. Everyone needs to know why the relationship between Taiwan and Canada is so important.”

Many Canadian lawmakers from the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois have visited Taiwan, which shows that the ruling and the opposition parties affirm Taiwan’s achievements, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre said.

“Developing relations with Taiwan is beneficial to Canada,” he added.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES