Trudeau Says Canadian MPs to Be Made Aware of Impact, Consequences of Visiting Taiwan

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A delegation from the Canadian Parliament's Committee on International Trade will be briefed on the impacts and consequences of potentially visiting Taiwan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

“We will ensure that the parliamentarians, making the decision to travel or not, will be done with all the reflections of the consequences and the impacts,” Trudeau said during a press briefing.

Trudeau said the decision to travel and organize the trip is made by the parliamentarians themselves without consulting with the federal government. The Prime Minister emphasized that Canada remains committed to its long-standing position on China and will ensure that it is respected. However, Trudeau also claimed that China's currently displayed behavior is belligerent and characterized it as “troubling.”

Earlier this week, an announcement was made that the Committee on International Trade plans to visit Taiwan in October on the initiative of Judy Srgo from the Liberal Party. Srgo is heading  the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group in the so-called Formosa Club. Created in 2021, it comprises 89 members from both the Senate and House of Commons.

Tensions have greatly increased in South-East Asia after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a congressional delegation to Taiwan last month, despite China’s strong opposition and warnings not to proceed with the visit.

Beijing has criticized the move by saying that it violated the one-China policy - the backbone of US-China relations - and thus violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Beijing considers Taiwan to be a part of China.

However, US President Joe Biden has said that Pelosi's visit falls within the parameters of US-China relations under the one-China policy. 

Since, the Chinese military has carried out military exercises around Taiwan with live ammunition, while the US government has stated its readiness to conduct "freedom of navigation" wherever international law allows US warships to sail, including through the Taiwan strait.