Chinese envoy warns Canada against sending MPs to Taiwan or warships through Taiwan Strait
Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di warned that Canada's strategic partnership with China could be damaged if Canadian MPs continue meeting with Taiwanese officials or if Canadian warships transit the Taiwan Strait. Beijing views Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory and considers such actions violations of the One China principle. Canada officially recognizes the People’s Republic of China but maintains a policy that neither challenges nor endorses Beijing’s claim over Taiwan.
- ▪Chinese Ambassador Wang Di stated that Canadian parliamentary visits to Taiwan and naval transits through the Taiwan Strait could harm bilateral relations.
- ▪Canada has recognized the People’s Republic of China since 1970 and does not formally recognize Taiwan as a separate state.
- ▪Under the Trudeau government, Canadian warships transited the Taiwan Strait 11 times starting in 2018, with one such transit occurring in September 2025 under Prime Minister Mark Carney.
- ▪Beijing considers the Taiwan Strait an internal waterway and opposes military activities there by foreign navies, especially those conducted with the U.S.
- ▪In January 2026, Canada and China reached a trade truce, with Canada agreeing to import Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for reduced Chinese tariffs on canola and other goods.
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Open this photo in gallery:Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di says there's 'only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.'Adrian Wyld/The Canadian PressShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountThe new “strategic partnership” that Prime Minister Mark Carney struck with China this year would be damaged if Ottawa sends more military vessels through the Taiwan Strait or if Canadian parliamentarians keep meeting with officials in Taiwan, Beijing’s envoy says.In an interview Thursday, Wang Di, China’s ambassador, said he’s optimistic about warming ties between Beijing and Ottawa but laid down expectations for how Canada deals with the self-governed island of Taiwan going forward.
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