Indigenous affairs have become an important area of cooperation between Taiwan and Canada, and Taiwan hopes to deepen the bilateral relationship further in clean energy and critical minerals. That statement came from Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) at a luncheon he hosted for the visiting delegation of local lawmakers from Canada’s Northwest Territories on Tuesday, August 18.

Chen said that indigenous affairs are an important area of cooperation, with deepening exchanges in areas such as trade, education, and healthcare under the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA) framework. He added that Canada’s Northwest Territories not only possess a rich indigenous culture, but also abundant resources. Chen expressed hope that both sides could expand cooperation in areas like clean energy and critical minerals in the future.

Delegation leader and Northwest Territories Member of the Legislative Assembly Shane Thompson said that all delegation members were visiting Taiwan for the first time and were deeply impressed by Taiwan’s technological achievements, its people, and its urban governance. He said that in addition to visiting indigenous communities to gain a deeper insight into Taiwan’s indigenous cultures, the delegation also hoped to promote the Northwest Territories’ tourism and bolster relations between Taiwan and Canada.