President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, met with a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians in Taipei on Wednesday, October 14th, expressing gratitude for the Canadian parliament’s support for Taiwan’s international participation. He also expressed his hope for the further enhancement of cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, energy, and critical minerals, aiming to expedite the signing and implementation of the Taiwan-Canada Trade Cooperation Framework Agreement (TCFA).
The visiting delegation was led by Judy Sgro, President of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association and a federal Member of Parliament. This marks Sgro’s sixth visit to Taiwan, with previous meetings with then-Vice President Lai Ching-te in 2022, and attendance at the inauguration ceremony of President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Meiqin in 2024.
President Lai highlighted Taiwan’s strengths in the semiconductor and information and communication technology industries, while Canada excels in areas such as artificial intelligence, energy, and critical minerals. He emphasized the complementary nature of the two economies, underscoring the potential for further collaboration.
Taiwan ranks as Canada’s sixth-largest trading partner in Asia, and President Lai expressed his desire for both sides to leverage their respective strengths and expand substantive cooperation. He expressed hope for the swift signing and implementation of the TCFA with the support of Sgro and the visiting delegation, further advancing bilateral trade and industry collaboration.
President Lai extended special thanks to the Canadian Parliament for its support towards Taiwan, including bipartisan efforts in the Canadian House of Commons to oppose interpretations of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 by China, and Sgro’s leadership in actively promoting the Taiwan-Canada Trade Cooperation Framework Agreement.
President Lai remarked that these actions demonstrate Taiwan’s sense of Canada’s parliament’s commitment to deepening bilateral partnerships. On the issue of security in the Taiwan Strait, President Lai acknowledged and appreciated Canada’s dispatch of warships through the strait in May, as well as Canada’s emphasis on the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during the G7 summit in June, opposing unilateral changes to the status quo through force or coercion.
He affirmed Taiwan’s commitment to bolstering its defense capabilities, deepening cooperation with Canada and like-minded nations to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. During the meeting, Sgro emphasized the close exchanges between Canada and Taiwan in areas such as trade, investment, education, science, technological innovation, and culture. Both countries value democratic systems, open societies, and peaceful conflict resolution.
She stated that the visit aimed to strengthen the connection between the peoples of Canada and Taiwan, as well as enhance exchanges between the two parliaments on shared concerns. Sgro affirmed Canada’s intention to maintain its partnership with Taiwan and collaborate to address common challenges.
According to the list released by the Office of the President of Taiwan, other members of the visiting delegation included Eric Duncan, Vice Chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, as well as Members of Parliament Angelo Iacono, Jenny Kwan, Brad Redekopp, Scot Davidson, and Jacob Mantle.
Marie-Louise Hannan, representative of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, accompanied the delegation during the meeting.