A recent visit to Taiwan by Canadian lawmakers has been denounced by the Chinese government, which has demanded that Ottawa cut all diplomatic links with the island and recognize its territorial claims.

The Chinese embassy in Canada condemned a trip to Taiwan taken by Liberal legislator Judy Sgro and other members of the "Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group" that started last Sunday in a statement provided to The Globe and Mail on Thursday.

“China has consistently and firmly opposed any form of official exchanges between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China,” it said, adding that the visit “blatantly violates the one-China principle, grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs and sends a seriously wrong signal to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”

After conferring the Special Medal of Diplomacy upon Chair @JudySgroMP, Minister Wu held a banquet for the #Canada🇨🇦-#Taiwan🇹🇼 Parliamentary Friendship Group delegation. We're thankful for the support of the like-minded lawmakers & feel truly blessed to call them our friends! pic.twitter.com/Snvw8gpB3Q

— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) October 12, 2022

Sgro traveled to Taiwan with fellow Liberal Angelo Iacono, as well as Conservative MPs Richard Martel and Chris Lewis, and Bloc Quebecois MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay. They claimed to have done so out of a sense of solidarity.

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The embassy went on to say that Beijing views the island as an “inalienable part of China’s territory,” and that recognition of its territorial claim forms the “political foundation on which China develops relations with other countries, including Canada.”

Even though the statement did not outline any retaliatory actions against Ottawa, it reiterated that “China will continue to take resolute and strong measures to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose the interference by external forces in China’s internal affairs.”

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Sgro is the most recent foreign leader to head a delegation to Taiwan in recent months. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi provoked Beijing with a high-profile visit in August, which led to extraordinary Chinese military exercises close to the island and heightened regional tensions.

Other US officials have since traveled to Taipei to meet with their Taiwanese counterparts, including as recently as this week, while Germany sent six Bundestag lawmakers for a five-day visit earlier this month.

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