Taipei: The de facto Canadian embassy in Taiwan celebrated its 40th anniversary with a reception on Thursday, where Marie-Louise Hannan, the top Canadian envoy to Taiwan, advocated for enhanced bilateral exchanges in the coming decades. The Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (CTOT), which started in 1986 with only three employees, has expanded over four decades to a staff of 50.

According to Focus Taiwan, Hannan highlighted the collaborative milestones achieved between Canada and Taiwan, including engineering feats such as the tuned mass damper in the Taipei 101 skyscraper and infrastructure projects like the Taipei Metro line in Neihu District. She noted that Taiwan's aerospace company AIDC continues to collaborate with Canadian partners by assembling and delivering aircraft parts. The offshore wind projects spearheaded by Northland Power were also cited as "powerful examples" of advancing a sustainable future together.

People-to-people exchanges have flourished since the days of early Canadian missionaries like George Leslie Mackay, who established schools, churches, and hospitals in Taiwan 150 years ago. Today, more than 60,000 Canadians reside in Taiwan, continuing this legacy of exchange, according to Hannan. She concluded her speech by referencing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's call for middle powers to forge a "third path" with tangible impacts, emphasizing the enduring spirit of collaboration between the two societies.

Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi echoed the sentiment of shared values, emphasizing the commitment to democracy, diversity, and the rule of law as the foundation of the Taiwan-Canada partnership. Over the past 40 years, CTOT has significantly advanced cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, education, culture, and science and technology. Chen expressed optimism for further collaboration in emerging sectors like green energy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals, which are vital for sustainable growth and future competitiveness.