Canada's Strategic Turn and Response to Tensions in the Taiwan Strait

In light of the United States&s; strategic shift to the Indo-Pacific since 2017, Canada&s;s regional role grew as well. Among the issues that challenge Canada&s;s interests, the issue of China and Taiwan is particularly intriguing in the sense that the sovereign question of Taiwan remains difficult, and with growing involvement in Indo-Pacific affairs, Ottawa has come to realize that its economic interests and cherished value of liberal democracy are at stake. In this chapter, the author addresses Canada&s;s strategic turn since 2020—abandoning a hedging strategy between China and Taiwan and moving toward giving absolute support for Taiwan—and the challenges and opportunities of such a move. The author will review the development of Canada–Taiwan relations, examine Canada&s;s shift toward the Indo-Pacific, and consider the mutual challenges and potential opportunities for cooperation between Canada and Taiwan in the near future.