The Chinese government believes that the British are encouraging Taiwanese “separatists”. In August, China responded with large-scale military exercises to Nancy Pelosi’s mission on the island. Beijing is also irritated by Britain’s naval presence in the region.
Taipei () – British Trade Minister Greg Hands begins a two-day visit to Taiwan today, in which he will also meet with President Tsai Ing-wen. This is the first mission to the island by a government delegation from London since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.
Hands will participate in the 25th edition of the trade talks with Taipei. Both sides are working on a memorandum of understanding on technological cooperation: Taiwan is the world’s leading producer of microchips, essential components in any advanced electronic device.
Unsurprisingly, the arrival in Taipei of a high-ranking member of the Sunak administration has angered China, which considers Taiwan a “rogue province” that must be reunified even with the use of force. Beijing does not want the governments with which it maintains formal diplomatic relations to maintain state relations with the Taiwanese, a practice that is seen as supporting the island’s independence forces.
Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said today that the UK must “stop all forms of official exchange with Taiwan and stop sending the wrong signals to separatists on the island”.
Despite the protests, it does not seem that Hands’ visit will translate into an increase in Beijig’s military maneuvers around the island, the scenario that materialized in August with the arrival in Taipei of Nancy Pelosi, president of the House of Representatives. US Representatives
Tension between China and Britain had already risen in September 2021, when the Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond crossed the Taiwan Strait; the last time a British naval ship had traversed that stretch of sea was in 2008.
In combination with the US Navy, Australia and other allies, the British continue to send warships near waters claimed by Beijing. Last month Royal Navy units participated off the coast of Cebu, Philippines, in the Sama Sama-Lumbas exercises with their counterparts from Washington, Manila, Tokyo and Canberra.
