Canadian Trade Office in Taipei

Canadian Trade Office in Taipei 加拿大駐台北貿易辦事處
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Location	Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China
Address	6th Floor, No. 1, Song-Zhi Road
Website	www.canada.org.tw

The Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (CTOT; Chinese: 加拿大駐台北貿易辦事處; pinyin: Jiānádà Zhù Táiběi Màoyì Bànshì Chù) is Canada's representation in the Republic of China (Taiwan).

History

From 1942 to 1946 the Canadian representative to ROC was based in the exile capital of Chongqing, Nanking from 1946 to 1949 and finally in Taipei from 1949 to 1971.

Canada and the People's Republic of China (PRC) signed a joint communiqué marking the establishment of diplomatic relations on October 13, 1970. In the text, Canada recognises the PRC government as the "sole legal government of China" and "takes note" of China's position that Taiwan is an "inalienable part of the territory" of the PRC. The language of the communiqué does not indicate active Canadian assent to the PRC's claim to Taiwan. However, given the stance of the PRC government that countries with which it has diplomatic relations refrain from official relations with the Republic of China, Canada deals with Taiwan in an "unofficial" manner. Consequently, Canada does not have an embassy or consulate general in Taipei, nor consulates in other cities in Taiwan, but instead has an officially unofficial "trade office."

The CTOT started operations on November 28, 1986. Staff were initially drawn from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, but the CTOT is now fully funded by the Government of Canada and staffed by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Despite its name, the CTOT does not differ from any other Canadian overseas mission. The CTOT does everything from issuing Canadian passports and providing consular services, to promoting trade and investment cooperation and cultural/educational exchanges. In addition, there are also provincial representatives from the Governments of Alberta and Quebec.

The ROC, likewise, is represented in Canada by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, which has established offices in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) has operated non-governmental trade offices in Canada since the creation of the Far East Trade Services in Montreal in 1970.

List of Heads of Trade Mission

• Robert Kelly (Canadian Chamber of Commerce, 1986-1988);
• John Clayden (Canadian Chamber of Commerce, 1988-1991);
• Ron Berlet (External Affairs Canada 1991-1993, Foreign Affairs Canada 1993 onwards, 1991-1995);
• Hugh Stephens (Foreign Affairs Canada, 1995-1998);
• David Mulroney (Foreign Affairs Canada, 1998-2001);
• Ted Lipman (Foreign Affairs Canada, 2001-2004);
• Gordon Houlden (Foreign Affairs Canada, 2004-2006);
• Ron MacIntosh (Foreign Affairs Canada, 2006-2009);
• Scott Fraser (Foreign Affairs Canada, 2009-2012);
• Kathleen Mackay (Foreign Affairs Canada, 2012–10 August 2015)

• Mario Ste-Marie (Foreign Affairs Canada, 2015–)

Mulroney would later serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the PRC (2009-2012)

Ambassadors

List of representatives or ambassadors to the ROC prior to 1971:

• Major General Victor Wentworth Odlum (Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, November 5, 1942 – October 4, 1946)
• George Sutton Patterson (Chargé d'Affaires, October 4, 1946 – October 24, 1946)
• The Honourable Thomas Clayton Davis (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, October 24, 1946 – April 1, 1949)
• Chester Ronning (Chargé d'Affaires, April 1, 1949 – February 26, 1951)

Transportation

CTOT is accessible within walking distance South of Taipei City Hall Station of the Taipei Metro.

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Taiwan
• Foreign relations of Canada
• Foreign relations of Taiwan
• Political status of Taiwan

Footnotes

1. ^ Mackerras, Colin and Amanda Yorke. The Cambridge Handbook of Contemporary China (New York: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1991). 152. ISBN 0-521-38755-8

External links

• Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (English Version)
• Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada (English and French)