OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada and Taiwan have completed talks on a bilateral deal to boost foreign investment and will work to make sure it comes into effect promptly, Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Arrangement is part of Canada’s plan to increase trade and influence in the fast-growing Indo-Pacific region.
Trade between Canada and Taiwan totaled C$10.2 billion in 2021, up from C$7.4 billion in 2020, according to official Canadian figures. Canada’s total bilateral trade with the world is more than C$1.5 trillion.
China, which views self-governing Taiwan as its own territory, has sour relations with Canada. Taiwan strongly rejects China’s sovereignty claims.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
