Struggling with allegations of foreign interference in their country, MPs turn to Taiwan for ideas

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As a cross-party delegation of Canadian politicians returns from Taiwan, MPs say Canada can learn lessons from the island when it comes to dealing with the threat of foreign interference from China.

Speaking to Taiwan’s CBC’s The House as they prepared to leave, Conservative Foreign Affairs Critic Michael Chong and Liberal MP John McKay, who chairs the House National Defense Committee, said they were impressed with the Taiwanese approach to resisting disinformation campaigns.

“I think there are a lot of lessons that Canada can learn about foreign interference and how society and government should react to harden Canadian society against this interference that we are experiencing from Beijing,” said Chong to host Catherine Cullen.

In a separate interview with CBC News, NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Heather McPherson said she also learned a lot from the trip and it was a worthwhile multi-party experience.

“I think we all agreed as a delegation, which I think you can understand is not always the case in parliamentary work,” she said.

CBC News: The House14:01Canadian MPs listen and learn from China’s neighbor

A delegation of Canadian MPs landed in Taiwan this week, even as China conducted military exercises near the territory. Conservative MP Michael Chong and Liberal MP John McKay join The House from Taiwan to discuss their trip and the threat posed by China.

The trip, organized as part of the Canada-Taiwan Friendship Group in Parliament and also including Bloc and NDP MPs, was partly overshadowed by large-scale Chinese-led military air and sea exercises last week. near Taiwan. The drills are believed to be tied to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the United States earlier this month.

Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of China. But Taiwan’s rulers reject Beijing’s claim to sovereignty and the island is democratically governed.

In an interview on Rosemary Barton Live, McKay said the threat posed by China was “serious” and that the superpower was trying to “turn Taiwan into a vassal state”. But he hailed Taiwanese officials, and Tsai in particular, as strong and determined.

He told CBC’s chief political correspondent that Taiwan was being treated badly by the international community and could be further integrated into international institutions and partnerships like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

McPherson told CBC News she supports Taiwan’s inclusion in certain institutions like the World Health Organization.

When asked if he was concerned that trips by politicians such as the visit of then US President Nancy Pelosi last year could further inflame tensions in the region, McKay was candid.

Liberal MP John McKay, Chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defense, speaks during a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan, in this image released April 12, 2023. (Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via Reuters)

“I’m not really worried about what China might think about this trip or not think about this trip,” McKay said. He pointed to a series of tension points within the Canada-China relationship, including the detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, industrial espionage and the intimidation of the Chinese diaspora in Canada.

Scott Simon, a professor at the University of Ottawa who specializes in the study of Taiwan, said in an interview that trips by foreign politicians to Taiwan are frequent and China’s recent military exercises are more related to favorable weather conditions. at this time of year.

“China doesn’t respond to every trip. They basically only care about US relations with Taiwan,” he said.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, second from right, greets Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen upon her arrival at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Ringo HW Chiu /AP)

McPherson noted that before the pandemic parliamentary travel was a normal thing.

“From my point of view, in fact, [the trip is] good for ensuring peace stays in the taiwan strait because what it’s doing is showing that the rest of the world is getting back to normal… i think actually china is trying to change the conversation on which is normal in Taiwan strait,” she said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced support for the MPs’ trip earlier this week, saying “it’s extremely important to show our support for democratic values ​​and principles around the world.”

“China’s aggressive actions in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan are problematic and we really hope there will be a de-escalation of tensions in the region,” Trudeau said.

Minister Wu was happy to break bread with 10 #Canada MPs, all security and foreign affairs experts, at a banquet to welcome the @HoCChamber delegation headed by the Chairman of the National Defense Committee @JohnMcKayLib. Discussions focused on how #Taiwan is at the center of #IndoPacific prosperity! pic.twitter.com/AzjTvD8582

—@MOFA_Taiwan

McKay said the highlight of the trip was a meeting with Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Affairs. McKay said Canadian lawmakers learned that Taiwan has a single ministry responsible for responding to cyberattacks, both within government and in government-regulated industries.

Chongsaid’s Taiwanese media literacy campaigns emphasize critical thinking on social media. He noted that the Taiwanese approach focuses on consumers of information rather than regulating media platforms.

McPherson agreed. “Taiwan is much more advanced in dealing with [cyberattacks and misinformation]how to counter some of these attacks,” she said.

“Canada has work to do.”

Simon, of the University of Ottawa, said it was probably too important to call Taiwan a “model” for Canada to emulate. But he said it is true that Taiwan has a major problem with influence operations from China and therefore more experience in dealing with it.

“There are all kinds of different Chinese influences, and of course that’s a much bigger problem in Taiwan than in Canada,” he said.

Even setting aside the issue of foreign influence, Simon said the Canada-Taiwan relationship, rarely at the forefront of Canada’s national conversation, was still important.

“It’s actually one of the strongest economic relationships we have in the world,” he said. “[In Asia] it’s after Japan and South Korea, but it’s up there as a very important partner for Canada. »

Unity abroad, discord at home

The united front displayed by overseas MPs stands in stark contrast to the rancor in Ottawa this week, as politicians clashed in committee during the testimony of Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, on Friday.

Tory MPs expressed frustration with Telford’s responses, and his appearance came after a long filibuster on the House committee studying allegations of Chinese foreign interference in Canadian elections.

Asked about the juxtaposition between actions abroad and at home, Chong said the Taiwanese example provides guidance on how the Canadian government should respond by emphasizing openness and transparency.

WATCH | Liberal MP discusses cross-party trip to Taiwan: Taiwan needs Canada’s ‘political support’, says Liberal MP Rosemary Barton Live chats with Liberal MP John McKay about the delegation of cross-party MPs he headed to Taipei this week to show support for Taiwan amid escalating tensions with China.

“I think that’s key to the way forward for Canada. It’s up to the government to be much more transparent and open about what exactly is going on,” Chong said. “And I think if they took that approach, Canadians would respond and make the kinds of decisions in their daily lives and their elections that will provide resilience against that kind of interference in our democracy.”

His liberal rival echoed that view. “I agree with Michael,” McKay said. “I would add that we cannot afford the luxury of partisanship on this particular file. These are issues of national crisis and if we as a nation don’t pull ourselves together it will be to our detriment.”

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