UMVA has learned that Conservative MP Michael Chong's recent visit to Taiwan has sent a strong message to China: Canada will not be dictated to on its foreign policy.
Chong, the Conservative foreign affairs critic, met with Taiwanese President Dr. Lai Ching-te and other senior government officials during his trip, sparking a reaction from China's embassy in Canada, which described the visit as a "red line" for Canada-China relations.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Chong's visit was a deliberate show of solidarity with Taiwan, a democracy on the front line of threats from authoritarian states, and an assertion of Canadian sovereignty in the face of pressure from China.
"Canada is a sovereign, independent country, and we don’t take direction from a foreign government about where Canadian MPs can travel," Chong told a Toronto-based newspaper in a sit-down interview in Taipei.
Chong's trip was prompted by a warning from China's ambassador to Canada, who urged the Canadian government and MPs from all parties not to visit Taiwan, a move that Chong and others saw as an attempt to dictate Canada's foreign policy.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Chong's visit was not just a gesture of support for Taiwan, but also a rebuff to China's attempts to exert influence over Canada's diplomatic efforts, particularly in the wake of Prime Minister Mark Carney's new strategic partnership with China.
Taiwan, with a population of over 23 million, is considered a province of China by Beijing, but Taiwan's government says it is an independent, democratic nation, and Canada has significant economic, cultural, and social ties to the island.
Chong, who has relatives in Hong Kong and has been a vocal critic of China's human rights abuses, was sanctioned by Beijing in 2021, meaning he is barred from visiting China, a move that he says has not deterred him from speaking out against China's actions.
The visit has sparked a diplomatic row, with China's Canadian embassy describing it as a "red line" for Canada-China relations, but Canada's Global Affairs department defended Chong's right to make the trip, citing the independence of Parliament as a pillar of Canada's democracy.
