Canada aims to diversify its partnerships as the global landscape shifts rapidly and does not intend to choose sides between China and Taiwan, Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said yesterday.
Despite stalled progress on a proposed Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation deal, both sides should continue deepening ties in practical areas, Nadjibulla said in an interview in Taipei.
"I think whether that happens or not, that's a political decision and we'll wait to see what happens between the two governments," she said.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan and Canada concluded talks on a trade cooperation framework agreement in the first half of last year, but Ottawa has reportedly delayed its signing over concerns about its ties with Beijing.
Commenting on the matter, Nadjibulla said that cooperation could still be expanded in areas such as energy security, critical minerals and emerging technologies.
"There's already so much that can be happening," even without a formal deal, she added.
Businesses and civil society groups "can continue to do more together and that will actually create the enabling environment for that political decision to be made," Nadjibulla said.
On broader strategic positioning, she said that Canada is seeking to bolster its autonomy by diversifying partnerships rather than aligning with any single power.
"I think that is exactly what [Canadian] Prime Minister [Mark] Carney was saying, that countries that are not hegemonic, that are not [the US] or China, need to work together to be able to have as much agency, as much choice, as much autonomy as possible," she said.
Asked about ties with the US, Nadjibulla said that Canada is seeking to maintain constructive ties while reinforcing its own capabilities and partnerships with other countries.
The strategy includes investing in domestic strength and expanding global partnerships, rather than reacting to every policy shift in Washington, she said.
"So it's staying calm. It's focusing on what we can control, on deepening relationships and friendships around the world," Nadjibulla said.
At the same time, Canada remains "clear-eyed" in its approach to China, having experienced economic coercion and diplomatic tensions over the past few years, she said.
Only 5 percent of Canadian exports go to China, which is much lower than the share for Australia or Japan, she added.
Ottawa is seeking to stabilize ties with Beijing while maintaining "clear guardrails," including avoiding cooperation in sensitive areas such as artificial intelligence and defense, she said.
Nadjibulla highlighted the economic complementarity between Taiwan and Canada, saying that Taiwan can benefit from Canada's strengths in energy, resources and research, while Canada can tap Taiwan's manufacturing capabilities.
Diversifying energy supply sources could help Taiwan boost its resilience, particularly given geopolitical uncertainties, she said.
"With everything that's happening in the Middle East right now, you're also vulnerable because you're getting so much of your energy from a part of the world that's actually much more volatile," she added.
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