The British government on Thursday publicly pulled out of a planned trip to Taiwan by former prime minister and current Conservative MP Liz Truss next week, prompting fears in Beijing. “As an MP who is not part of the government and a private citizen, Liz Truss can travel anywhere. We are not involved,” a spokesperson for the executive said in a statement to international media.
The spokesman stressed that London’s position on Taiwan “has not changed” and that the UK “continues to enjoy a thriving and informal relationship in cultural, commercial and other relations” with the island. The UK does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan or officially recognize its government.
Truss said today that he would do “everything possible” to support Taiwan’s democratically elected government ahead of his visit to Taipei next week. “Right now, I am happy to go to Taipei next week. Thank you for the invitation from Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I have already accepted it,” the lawmaker said on Twitter.
Truss will meet with members of the Taiwanese government, including President Tsai Ing-wen, the vice office confirmed to EFE today. Truss is scheduled to deliver a speech at the so-called Prospect Foundation event titled “Taiwan: Leading Freedom and Democracy.”
Conservative foreign policy “hawks” have been openly critical of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s conciliatory stance toward Beijing.
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