Taiwanese sailors salute the island’s flag on the deck of the Panshih supply ship after taking part in annual drills, at the Tsoying naval base in Kaohsiung on Jan. 31, 2018. (Mandy Cheng/AFP via Getty Images)
NTDTV Staff
Two Liberal Members of Parliament cut short a parliamentary delegation visit to Taiwan on the advice of the Canadian government, a move Conservatives say undermines democracy and rewards pressure from Beijing as Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares for an official visit to China.
Liberal MPs Helena Jaczek and Marie-France Lalonde were part of a multi-party delegation to Taiwan that also included Conservative MPs Melissa Lantsman, Adam Chambers, and Shelby Kramp-Neuman. The visit, sponsored by the Taiwanese government, coincided with Carney’s planned trip to China from Jan. 13 to 17.
In a joint statement, Jaczek and Lalonde said their early return to Canada was “informed by advice from” the federal government.
“We have been pleased to work with MPs of all parties on this delegation as part of an effort to strengthen relationships between Canada and the people of Taiwan,” the two MPs said, noting Taiwan is Canada’s sixth-largest trading partner in Asia.
Conservatives sharply criticized the decision. Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said the move sends the wrong signal to Beijing. “Two Liberal MPs cutting short a visit to Taiwan because of pressure from government officials is nothing short of kowtowing to Beijing’s authoritarianism,” Chong said.
“This kind of retreat weakens our democracy, our relationship with Taiwan, and rewards Beijing’s intimidation,” he said.
The visit took place as Carney seeks to recalibrate Canada’s relationship with China following several years of strained ties. The Prime Minister’s Office has said Carney will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and business leaders to discuss trade, energy, agriculture, and international security.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory despite the island being a self-governed democracy that has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party. Tensions escalated in late December 2025, when Beijing launched large-scale military drills encircling Taiwan. In response, Canada said it opposes “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.”
Jaczek and Lalonde said Canada’s policy on Taiwan “has not changed,” adding that the purpose of the visit was to promote trade, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people ties. “It’s important that we avoid confusion with Canada’s foreign policy, given the overlap with the Prime Minister’s engagement in Beijing,” they said.
Canada switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1970 and does not formally recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state, though it maintains unofficial relations.
Conservatives argue the Carney government’s approach mirrors that of former prime minister Justin Trudeau, whose efforts to deepen ties with China stalled after Beijing detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in 2018.
“It’s increasingly looking like Prime Minister Carney is taking the same approach as Trudeau on the communist government of China,” Chong said.
During the 2025 election campaign, Carney described China as Canada’s “biggest security threat,” but his government has since emphasized pragmatic engagement as it seeks to expand trade and reduce reliance on U.S. markets.