The UK Foreign Office (FCTO) asked Taiwan to postpone the visit of the former president so as not to provoke anger ahead of the visit to China. Learned by David Lammigardian.
Lammy is set to travel to China next week for high-level meetings on his first trip as foreign secretary.
The British-Taiwan All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) held talks with former President Tsai Ing-wen. Taiwan's parliament this month. But after the Foreign Office indicated Lammy's trip to China could be skipped, three sources told the Guardian plans to visit had been postponed.
“We got a note from the FCDO through the Taiwanese representative to the UK,” said a person involved in the discussions to host Tsai. It said: 'Could you please postpone this for a moment as the Foreign Secretary is due to make a “goodwill visit” to China, which will put the absolute kibosh on it.
The revelation is uncomfortable for the new government, which has sought to improve relations with Beijing after it deteriorated under the Labor Conservatives. Ministers are looking at resuming high-level economic dialogue with China and Chancellor Rachel Reeves is making plans to visit the country next year.
Plans for Sai's visit have been postponed until spring. Although Parliament does not need the government's permission to organize it, the APPG hopes to facilitate Whitehall travel, including providing security. Parliamentary officials were also involved in the discussion.
Francis D'Souza, a member of the APPG and a crossbench peer who attended the inauguration of Taiwan's new president, Lai Tsing-tae last spring, said: “We very much hope to host former president Tsai Ing-wen in parliament in the near future. While we understand political sentiments, Parliament is a democratic forum open to diverse voices and opinions.
Tanmanjeet Singh Desi, Labor chairman of the defense select committee, said Taiwan was “an important and valuable partner for the UK and we should do everything we can to strengthen ties”, adding: “I hope the government will make it clear. Former President Tsai, whom I met during a parliamentary delegation visit to Taiwan, is actually very welcome here.
Tsai will visit several European countries this month on her first international tour since leaving office. He is due in Prague and Brussels next week and is expected to travel to France, according to reports.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The ministerial visit will be confirmed in the usual way. We do not comment on speculations,” he said. The Taipei representative office in the UK did not respond to a request for comment.
The UK does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but has a long-standing unofficial relationship and a history of visits.
After the newsletter promotion
A group of Labor MPs led by Sonny Leong met with Taiwan and Tsai last April shortly before he stepped down as president. The visit was strongly condemned by the Chinese embassy in London, with MPs accusing it of “serious interference in China's internal affairs”.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually come under Beijing's control, and there are fears that it will eventually try to annex the island by force.
Taiwan, which has not yet been ruled by the People's Republic of China, sees itself as separate and has its own constitution and democratically elected leaders, and has increasingly resisted China's claims of sovereignty. In last January's presidential election, voters elected Lai, who pledged to uphold Taiwan's autonomy.
In their approach to China, labor ministers have argued that they want to cooperate with Beijing on areas including trade and climate change, keeping a clear eye on security threats and human rights concerns.
In its statement, Labor promised to conduct a Whitehall audit of UK-China relations, which is ongoing. In the past, Lammy has pledged to take steps to recognize China's treatment of the Uyghur minority as genocide.
