By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 21: The Foreign Affairs Minister of Taiwan Joseph Wu urged Canada to join the global coalition against China by using sanctions and increased trade ties in an interview, reported Canadian agency The Globe and Mail. Wu remarked that with the growing threats of China’s expansionism, Taiwan could be the next target following a crackdown on Hong Kong.
He also said that CCP has extended its influence by placing party members in the news media, political parties, business organisations and temples. He accused China of intensive disinformation campaigns against Taiwan, “We are seeing all kinds of disinformation surface in Taiwan’s internet or social media or even to be taken [up] by the formal media, so this is something we are very concerned about.”
The foreign minister also noted that there has been a significant rise in cyber attacks in the past few years, along with PLA’s increased aircraft flights headed towards Taiwan airspace since September. He urged Canada to join hands with the US, Australia, Japan, Europe and other democracies against China as he claimed that “Taiwan is under military threat like no one else is facing.”
Wu lauded Canada for suspending the extradition treaty with Hong Kong; he suggested that the country can also impose Magnitsky-like sanctions on CCP officials as the US had done earlier this year. He further suggested Ottawa to follow suit in shutting down Confucius Institutes (CIs) and also expel representatives of state-controlled media.
The spokesperson also urged Canada to sign a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement with Taiwan as it had done with China, and invite Taiwan to join the 11-country Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership signed in 2018, which would significantly increase protection of Canadian investors in Taiwan as well as Taiwanese investors in Canada.
