Sunak says there’s ‘no change’ to method on Taiwan in slapdown to Truss

Rishi Sunak insisted Britain’s stance on Taiwan “hasn’t changed” after Liz Truss provoked Chinese anger throughout a go to to the island.

The former Prime Minister triggered a livid response from Beijing as she urged the West to “reduce dependence on China in all spheres” within the face of Chinese aggression in direction of Taiwan.

She argued in opposition to working with China on world points akin to local weather change, warning that totalitarian regimes “don’t tell the truth” as she pointed to Beijing’s therapy of Hong Kong and the regime’s secrecy in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Truss additionally made a private plea to her successor to model China as a “threat” to UK safety.

Ms Truss made the speech in Taipei City on Wednesday, making her the primary former prime minister to go to Taiwan since Margaret Thatcher.

The Chinese Embassy referred to as Ms Truss’s go to “a dangerous political stunt”.

It added that the go to “will do nothing but harm to the UK”.

In the speech, Ms Truss urged the West to not work with China, warning that totalitarian regimes “don’t tell the truth”.

She drew comparisons between the tensions between China and Taiwan, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters whereas travelling to the G7 summit in Japan Mr Sunak stated: “I tell you that our approach to Taiwan is long-standing and it hasn’t changed.

“And again, it’s an approach that is completely aligned in substance and in language with all our allies. And China as a theme is something that we will be talking about at this G7.”

In her speech Ms Truss referred to as on the UK authorities to assist Taiwan becoming a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) commerce settlement – which the UK has just lately joined – and for it to dam China from becoming a member of.

Last week, senior Conservative MP Alicia Kearns accused Ms Truss of “Instagram diplomacy” over her go to to Taiwan.

Ms Kearns, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs committee, stated the journey was “performative, not substantive”.

But Ms Truss accused her Tory colleague of “misusing” her place “to engage in petty political attacks”, and stated her go to aimed to point out “solidarity” with Taiwan.

Taiwan and China break up in 1949 following a civil conflict that ended with the Communist Party in charge of the mainland. China views Taiwan as Chinese territory.