Canadian think tank urges Ottawa to unambiguously support Taiwan

Taipei, April 30 (CNA) A Canadian public policy institute has urged the Canadian government to drop its long-standing diplomatic ambiguity over Taiwan's status and take a clear stance in support of Taiwan's sovereignty and democracy.

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), an Ottawa-based domestic and foreign policy think tank, made the recommendation in a report by Scott E. Simon released Tuesday, the day after Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party won the federal election but fell short of securing a parliamentary majority.

"Canada needs clarity about the international status of Taiwan in order to recalibrate policies in changing circumstances," the report's executive summary said, noting that the PRC's intention to "annex Taiwan, which it has never controlled" represents a "substantial risk" to Canada.

The MLI said Canada's approach to China's claim over Taiwan has relied on what it called "diplomatic expediency," adding that since establishing ties with the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1970, Canada has only agreed to "take note" of Beijing's position on Taiwan, while neither endorsing nor challenging it.

The report noted that Canadian courts have treated Taiwan as a de facto state in legal rulings despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition, and "Canadian policy is already based on the knowledge that Taiwan is completely autonomous from PRC rule."

The MLI emphasized that Taiwan "meets all the criteria for statehood" under the Montevideo Convention, a 1933 international treaty that defines a state as having a permanent population, defined territory, government, and capacity to enter into relations with other states.

The report warned that the PRC is "trying to convince the world that Taiwan has always been an integral part of China" by claiming that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 gave it sovereignty over Taiwan -- an assertion the MLI calls "blatant misinformation."

"The resolution does not even mention Taiwan," the report said.

The MLI said China's legal strategy -- described as "international lawfare" -- is designed to prevent the UN from supporting Taiwan in the event of conflict, as it did with Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion.

The report called on Ottawa to publicly distinguish between Canada's "One-China Policy" and the "One-China Principle" that the PRC "wants to impose on the world."

"Canada has the right to define that policy and determine our own relationship with Taiwan without external interference," it said.

The MLI urged Canada to conduct regular naval transits of the Taiwan Strait, which it said constitute international waters under international law, and to assert the importance of peace and freedom of navigation in the region as a global public good.

The report also recommended increased cooperation with Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines on defense, law enforcement and intelligence sharing to "collectively deter Chinese aggressive actions."

To strengthen Taiwan's economic resilience, the MLI advised expanding bilateral trade and investment in critical areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and strategic mineral and energy supply chains.

The report concluded that such efforts would help "lay the groundwork for the people of Taiwan to eventually fully exercise their right to self determination as promised in international law."