Potential Taiwan stop by Canadian MPs would be part of Singapore trade trip: officials
Global News
A recent trip by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi prompted a furious response by China, which claims Taiwan as its own.
Canadian parliamentarians are discussing a potential trade trip to Singapore and surrounding countries, including Taiwan, as early as this fall, but say they do not yet have approval to go.
Liberal MP Judy Sgro said in recent comments to journalists that members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade are “anxious to go and to visit Taiwan” in a trip being planned for October.
Members of that committee told Global News no trip has been confirmed, though, and conversations about a potential trip earlier this year were in the context of a visit focused on Singapore and trading ties in neighbouring Asian countries.
“The idea was, if we’re going to be in Singapore, in the region, maybe we should spend a couple days in Taiwan … get a good idea of this relationship, so it can be maintained,” said Conservative MP Randy Hoback, who is on the committee.
He pointed to Taiwan’s court system and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as areas of particular interest. Hoback added that when the House of Commons rose for the summer, the committee had not yet received an answer from parliamentary leaders on whether the trip to Singapore would be approved.
He added that there’s also been no indication of a security briefing by Global Affairs Canada, which he hopes would be offered before any kind of trip to Taiwan, so MPs could be fully aware of the personal risks and broader geopolitical landscape.
“Things have changed,” he said.
Another opposition party official spoke on background and said while the trip is believed to be “likely,” planning has been on pause over the summer and there remains debate about specific destinations.
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