Taiwan wants to sign a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement (FIPA) with Canada to boost the bilateral economic and trade relationship. President Tsai Ing-wen made the remarks on Tuesday after meeting Jordan Reeves, executive director of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei.
The president also voiced her support for Reeves to push for communication and collaboration between the two countries’ startup and tech industries. She said it would be very helpful for both sides if Taiwan could join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement between Australia, Canada, Japan and eight other countries.
Tsai said, “Collaboration between countries is important now, especially when the global economy is suffering a hit from the pandemic.”
Tsai said that Canada shares similar views with Taiwan and other democracies in the world on the national security law that China enacted in Hong Kong last week. These countries have expressed concern over the law that gives Beijing unprecedented power over activities in Hong Kong that can be seen as anti-China.
The president noted that Taiwan opened an office dedicated to help Hong Kongers wishing to relocate to Taiwan due to the changing political climate in their hometown, the first of its kind in the world. Tsai said that “Taiwan is the first line of defense in safeguarding the values of democracy. We will continue to work with Canada and countries that share the same views to contribute to the global fight to protect democracy”.