The Chinese Embassy in Canada is issuing a stern warning a week after parliamentarians announced they were planning a fall trip to Taiwan.
Judy Sgro, chair of the Canada-Taiwan Friendship Group, told CBC News last week that a group of Canadian MPs and senators planned to visit the island as early as October.
Although Canadian parliamentarians have visited Taiwan in the past, there are currently more concerns that diplomatic trips to Taiwan could escalate political tensions with Beijing.
China considers the island of Taiwan an “inalienable part” of its territory, the country’s embassy said in a statement Tuesday to CBC News.
Beijing imposed sanctions on US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and held military exercises around Taiwan after Pelosi’s visit to the island earlier this month.
“China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic relations with China,” the Chinese Embassy said in its statement.
“China will take resolute and vigorous action against any country that tries to interfere with or infringe on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The statement was sent in response to requests for comment on the friendship group’s planned trip and questions about whether China would impose sanctions on Canada in response.
The statement went on to urge Canada to “adhere to the one-China principle and respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said MPs make their own decisions about what their committees study and what trips they take. He also said his government would ensure that MPs consider all possible consequences of a trip to Taiwan.
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