Foreign Affairs and International Development

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development met to study Canada’s defence and security posture in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on naval transits of the Taiwan Strait. Appearing were Major-General Travis Morehen, Director General of International Security Policy at the Department of National Defence; Eric Laporte, Executive Director of Regional Security and Defence Relations at Global Affairs Canada; and Ryan Baerg, Executive Director of the Greater China Political and Coordination Division at Global Affairs Canada.

Major-General Morehen stated that Canada has regularized its naval presence in the Indo-Pacific to three warships per year under Operation Horizon, conducting transits of the Taiwan Strait in full accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, without prior notification to China. He noted that 13 transits have occurred since 2018, seven since the 2022 Indo-Pacific strategy, with no unsafe interactions with Chinese or Taiwanese forces, and that the transits are non-provocative, conducted at economic speed between exercise areas. He recommended that the acquisition of 12 submarines and 15 River-class destroyers will extend Canada’s maritime influence, and he disagreed with any characterization of the transits as freedom of navigation operations, distinguishing them from U.S. FONOPs.

Eric Laporte explained that Canada does not conduct freedom of navigation operations like the U.S. Navy, but rather transits under UNCLOS without challenging territorial claims, and that interdepartmental risk assessments are conducted for each operation. He noted that China’s increasing air and maritime activity around Taiwan raises the risk of escalation, and that Canada calls for de-escalation and maintenance of the status quo, but he declined to detail contingency scenarios for a potential Chinese military operation against Taiwan. He agreed with the member that there is a security-trade nexus in the region, as open maritime routes are critical for global trade.

Ryan Baerg stated that Canada’s one China policy, established in 1970, recognizes the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China while noting but not endorsing China’s position on Taiwan, allowing for unofficial relations with Taiwan. He said that discussions are under way regarding next steps for a non-binding trade co-operation framework arrangement with Taiwan, but he could not speculate on timelines or whether the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China influenced the delay. He noted that China’s response to transits and statements is consistent—a démarche reaffirming its position—and that Canada’s reaffirmation of its one China policy helps manage the disagreement.

A procedural exchange occurred when a member raised a point of order regarding another member’s reference to a recalled MP mission to Taiwan, but the committee moved on without a formal ruling.