Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss will deliver a speech in Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of avoiding appeasement towards China and expressing unwavering
support for the self-governed island. Truss's visit has the potential to further strain Britain's relations with Beijing, as it comes at a time when bilateral ties are at their lowest point in decades.
Truss, representing a hawkish faction within the governing Conservative Party, opposes the British government's current approach to China, which involves engaging in areas such as trade and climate change while managing national security concerns.
In contrast to French President Emmanuel Macron's stance of distancing Europe from any involvement in a potential conflict over Taiwan, Truss will assert that it would be "completely irresponsible" for European nations to dismiss the island's significance due to its distance or perceived lack of importance.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve eventual reunification. Beijing has previously criticized visits by British lawmakers to Taiwan, deeming them interference in China's internal affairs.
According to excerpts from her speech, Truss will emphasize the need to support free democracies like Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression. She will state that the world can witness China's clear track record and that the choice lies between appeasement and accommodation or taking action to prevent conflict.
Following her resignation from office after a record 49-day term last October, primarily due to financial market concerns over unfunded tax cuts, Truss has been working to rebuild her political reputation through speeches and exerting pressure on her successor, Rishi Sunak, to adopt a stronger stance on various issues.
The Chinese Embassy in London criticized Truss's visit, labeling it a "dangerous political show" that would harm the United Kingdom.
While Foreign Minister James Cleverly previously explained Britain's approach to China under Sunak, stating that isolating Beijing would be a mistake and that engagement is necessary in areas such as climate change, Truss will assert that many in the West still cling to the idea of cooperation with China on climate change while disregarding the importance of freedom and democracy.
Truss's speech aims to underscore the significance of standing up to China and supporting Taiwan as a free democracy, highlighting the inextricable link between freedom, democracy, and other global issues. Photo by Heeheemalu, Wikimedia commons.