Canada should follow U.S.’ lead in sending cabinet representative to Taiwan
By WINSTON WEN-YI CHEN AUGUST 17, 2020
Earlier this month, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar visited Taiwan to hold a wide array of meetings with our leaders, including President Tsai Ing-wen, former vice-president Chen Chien-jen, and Health Minister Chen Shih-chung.
These meetings, held from Aug. 9 to 12, were significant because Secretary Azar is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in more than 40 years and the first cabinet minister to set foot in Taiwan since 2014. This landmark visit represents a defining moment in Taiwan-U.S. relations at a time of global turmoil and uncertainty.
Indeed, as Secretary Azar explained, the trip had three important themes: recognizing how Taiwan’s open and democratic model was successful in combating COVID-19; reaffirming the bond between Taiwan and the U.S. on issues like public health; and highlighting that “Taiwan deserves to be recognized as a global health leader, with an excellent track record of contributing to international health.”
President Tsai responded by expressing her gratitude for America’s “continued recognition of the Taiwan model’s contribution to global anti-pandemic efforts, as well as their strong support for Taiwan’s international participation.”
As Secretary Azar said, the trip “represents an opportunity to strengthen our economic and public health cooperation with Taiwan, especially as the United States and other countries work to strengthen and diversify our sources for crucial medical products.”
The recent visits shows that, even within the restricted context of “unofficial” relations, productive diplomacy can still be successfully conducted. Other countries, including Japan and the Czech Republic, are sending or have already sent full delegations to Taiwan. Japan sent a high-level, cross-party parliamentary delegation that included former prime minister Mori Yoshiro, and the Czech Republic will be sending a 90-person delegation led by Senate President Miloš Vystrčil. It would be ideal if Canada also considered joining this chorus of like-minded countries by sending a cabinet member to Taiwan.
The last time such a visit was made by then-industry minister John Manley in 1998. A lot has changed in the world since then, but a fundamental truth still holds: Taiwan and Canada have much to gain and learn from each other.
With all this in mind, Taiwan and Canada would stand to benefit from closer ties and high-level dialogue; now is the perfect moment for a ministerial visit.
In much the same way as the success of Secretary Azar’s visit, a delegation from Canada would likely contribute greatly to the advancement of the shared interests of Taiwan and Canada. Whether it be closer economic ties, perhaps through laying the groundwork for a Taiwan-Canada Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) or trade co-operation through the inclusion of Taiwan into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or in the form of information sharing in relation to battling COVID-19, open dialogue and cooperation pose a win-win scenario.
As President Tsai has stated, by working together, like-minded countries can “prove that democracy is the best system to overcome global challenges.” This is particularly true when it comes to global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic; it is through joint efforts that the world will come to realize “even more breakthroughs and greater achievements in disease prevention and exchanges in all areas.”
Winston Wen-yi Chen is the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada.
