China issues warning to Canada over its planned parliamentary Taiwan visit
/ Our Today
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China has issued a warning to Canada over a planned trip by its parliamentary delegation to Taiwan to explore trade opportunities.
China claims Taiwan as its territory under its “One-China principle” and objects to foreign politicians visiting the island. Democratically governed Taiwan rejects China’s claims.
“We urge the Canadian side to abide by the One-China principle and respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Chinese Embassy in Canada said in a statement sent late on Tuesday (August 23).
“China will take resolute and forceful measures against any country that attempts to interfere with or infringe upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Chinese Embassy said.
‘FRIENDSHIP GROUP’
The news comes amid the relationship between China and the west worsening since US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this month against Beijing’s wishes. However, members of a Canada-Taiwan parliamentary “friendship group”, which does not receive administrative or financial support from the Canadian parliament, had been planning to visit the self-ruled island in October, the Liberal Member of Parliament, Judy Sgro, said last week.
Sgro said the trip would focus on trade and the lawmakers’ intent was not to disrupt and cause problems for Taiwan or with China but in a subsequent statement, Canada’s government said parliamentary associations and friendship groups were independent, and that it respected the lawmakers’ intent to visit Taiwan.
Canada, like the rest of the west, follows a One-China policy that recognises Beijing, not Taipei, diplomatically, while unofficially it supports Taiwan. China has declared that it will take “forceful measures” if Canada “interferes” in Taiwan.
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