Canadian and Chinese defence ministers meet in Singapore as tensions rise over Taiwan

OTTAWA – The defence ministers of Canada and China met in Singapore this week, the first face-to-face meeting between the two officials in years.

Bill Blair met with Admiral Dong Jun on Friday as part of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an international security conference.

In a statement released after the meeting, Blair expressed concern about Beijing's foreign interference in Canada and recent military exercises in Taiwan.

China has staged a simulated blockade of the island after electing a new government that does not accept Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China.

Blair's meeting with his Chinese counterpart came several months after Canadian military officials told MPs they were working to open new lines of communication.

Diplomatic relations between the countries have been strained since 2018, when Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada and China responded by detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2024.

— With files from The Associated Press

The Canadian Press