On September 25th, Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu, met with the “Canadian National Security Affairs Delegation” led by former Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, Tom Lawson, and Wayne Eyre, emphasizing Canada’s importance as a key democratic partner for Taiwan. Minister Wu expressed his desire for Taiwan and Canada to deepen cooperation and work together to realize the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.
In a Facebook post, Minister Wu extended his appreciation to the visiting delegation for actively promoting exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Canada. He also commended Canada for consistently demonstrating its long-term commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region through concrete actions.
Minister Wu highlighted Canada’s recent dispatch of the frigate “HMCS Quebec” to transit the Taiwan Strait with an Australian warship, as well as Canada’s coordination during its tenure as the rotating chair of the Group of Seven (G7) in issuing statements supporting Taiwan and emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
To safeguard stability in the Indo-Pacific, both Taiwan and Canada have taken steps to increase defense budgets and enhance security cooperation in recent years. Last month, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the “Covert Ship Recognition System,” and in early September, they jointly organized a media literacy seminar through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) platform to further strengthen their democratic resilience.
Minister Wu reiterated that Canada is an important democratic partner for Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the importance of the Indo-Pacific strategy in opposing any unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He sincerely thanked Canada for its tangible support for Taiwan and expressed commitment to deepening cooperation with Canada in realizing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.
During the meeting, Tom Lawson expressed high praise for Taiwan as a beacon of democracy. The delegation engaged in in-depth discussions with various government departments, often exceeding scheduled times due to the enthusiastic exchanges. Members of the delegation reiterated their strong support for Taiwan and looked forward to sharing relevant information upon returning to Canada.
In addition, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council released a press statement on September 26th, with Council Chairperson Chiu Chui-cheng meeting with the Canadian National Security Affairs Delegation on the 23rd. Chairman Chiu expressed gratitude for Canada’s longstanding support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He highlighted the significance of Canadian frigates transiting the Taiwan Strait twice this year, upholding the principles of freedom of navigation in defiance of Chinese intimidation, showcasing a steadfast commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability.
Chairman Chiu emphasized that in the face of increasing pressure from China, the government remains committed to pursuing dialogue with mainland China on the basis of no unilaterally predetermined political conditions and mutual respect, in line with President Lai Ching-te’s “Four Pillars of Action for Peace” initiative. Taiwan continues to strengthen its resilience and self-defense capabilities, deepen cooperation with like-minded nations, and collectively defend the values of freedom and democracy.
Quoting remarks by Admiral Samuel Paparo of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, Chairman Chiu cited the ongoing large-scale military exercises by China in the Taiwan Strait as potential threats of transition from exercises to conflict, underscoring the need for Taiwan to enhance its strength, readiness, and determination to defend universal values such as freedom, democracy, rule of law, and human rights.
Lawson expressed his admiration for Taiwan’s democratic resilience amid the current complex situation. Delegates raised concerns during the meeting about cross-strait communication, the possibility of military conflict, mechanisms to de-escalate conflicts, societal resilience in Taiwan, cross-strait relations, and internal dynamics within mainland China.