Thank you, chair and members of the committee, for the invitation to speak before you again today on the very important topic of Canada's interests in the Indo-Pacific and our relationship with Taiwan.
On the topic of the day, in my belief, Canada should recognize the benefits of a more robust relationship with Taiwan. For too long, successive Canadian governments have failed to seize opportunities to bolster ties with Taipei, largely as a result of fear that expanded ties with Taiwan would lead to punitive measures or other repercussions in the relationship with China.
In effect, we have allowed the parameters of our Taiwan relationship to be boxed in at the edges by China. In my view, this formula is far too simple. Of course, Canada has its One China policy, but that does not mean we should avoid taking steps to bolster relations with Taiwan, even if they're diplomatically unofficial in nature.
Mr. Chair, frankly put, Taiwan plays a pivotal role in the Indo-Pacific and is a robust democracy in a region where resilient and sustained democratic values are scarce. Taiwan also has a thriving civil society and an advanced technology base and shares core values with Canada on freedom of speech, open elections and the rule of law.
In this context, how should we prioritize relations with Taiwan and seize these opportunities?
First of all, I think there needs to be a recognition that Taiwan’s security is our security. Taiwan’s place in the Indo-Pacific order is ignored or quietly dismissed as politically inconvenient at our own peril.
On trade matters, Canada—in tandem with other partners, such as Japan, as the largest economy right now in this agreement—should be vocal in its support for Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or the CPTPP. That's probably the worst acronym I can imagine, but that's not to be said.
Complementing this would be the swift finalization of a foreign investment protection agreement, or FIPA, through which both sides agreed to explore talks earlier this year.
On the security matters, the maintenance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is of paramount interest both to Canada and its regional allies and partners. Geostrategically, Taiwan is in the middle of the first island chain in the western Pacific, acting as the strategic spine connecting the East China Sea in the north and the South China Sea in the south. It’s important to understand this maritime continuum, as all states in the region, including China, depend on its open lines of sea communication in order to facilitate open trade and move energy supplies and many other materials.
Any contingency or clash over Taiwan would have momentous implications for Canada and our allies. This would not be a conflict in which we could insulate ourselves. The potential for regional spillover would be acute.
A telling example of this is that Japan’s southwest archipelago sits just on the northern edge of Taiwan. The island of Yonaguni, for example, in Japan is less than 70 miles from Taiwan. Frankly, the idea that a conflict over Taiwan could be narrow and not impact the wider region is a fantasy.
While it remains unclear if the leadership in Beijing has politically made the choice to invade Taiwan, we are seeing an unprecedented level of economic and military coercion in recent days, as well as a provocative series of ballistic missile tests and military exercises around Taiwan earlier this year after the visit of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
The upcoming Indo-Pacific strategy should recognize a few important points on Taiwan.
First, it should acknowledge that Taiwan’s security and stability in the Taiwan Strait are of the utmost importance.
Second, it should specifically identify the desire to enhance economic engagement with Taiwan’s dynamic economy and look for more areas for Canadian innovators and entrepreneurs to engage in a shared ecosystem premised on reliable and secure supply chains.
Third, and finally, it should identify that the Indo-Pacific region needs more co-operation in the provision of public goods and specifically identify an example of where Taiwan could help. An example of this is through its co-operation in the World Health Assembly.
In conclusion, Mr. Chair, the Indo-Pacific region is rightly garnering attention in Ottawa, albeit quite late, as the global centre of geo-economic and geostrategic gravity. In the pursuit of our interests and values, it is essential to view Taiwan as a part of the solution—not a part of the problem—toward stability in this dynamic region.
Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for your time. I look forward to questions.