Two Canadian members of parliament end Taiwan trip ahead of Carney's China visit

By Wa Lone

Two Canadian Members of Parliament are ending a trip to Taiwan early this week ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China, they said in a statement on Monday.

Helena Jaczek and Marie-France Lalonde, members of Carney's Liberal Party, said they had been pleased to work with members of all political parties on the delegation.

"As this portion of the visit concludes, informed by advice from the government, we are returning home," their statement said. "It's important that we avoid confusion with Canada's foreign policy, given the overlap with the Prime Minister's engagement in Beijing, which was only confirmed last week."

They said Canada’s position on Taiwan has not changed. Three Conservative members of Parliament remained in Taiwan and will meet Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday, according to the island's presidential office.

Asked about the departure of two ruling-party lawmakers, a spokesperson for Taiwan's foreign ministry said some members of the delegation had had to leave early "for some reason."

"The foreign ministry continues to welcome friends from all walks of life to visit Taiwan and we will continue working with Canada to further deepen exchanges and cooperation across all fields," spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei said.

Carney's office said the focus this week is on the prime minister's meetings in China. The Conservative Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects China's claims.

Carney is trying to diversify Canada's exports away from its main market, the United States, as Canada faces uncertain trade policy from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The China visit aims to increase engagement on trade, energy, agriculture and international security, Carney's office said. China is Canada's second-biggest trading partner.