The United Kingdom and Taiwan have agreed to deepen their economic and technological cooperation, identifying new opportunities in digital trade, clean energy, advanced manufacturing
and emerging technologies during high-level talks held in London.
The 28th annual UK-Taiwan Trade Talks, held on 2 October 2026, coincided with the signing of a new Science, Innovation and Technology Arrangement designed to strengthen research and development cooperation between the two economies.
The discussions were co-chaired by Britain's Minister for Trade, Lord Sarwar, and Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, Cynthia Kiang. Both sides explored ways to expand bilateral trade and investment, reinforce supply chain resilience and promote cooperation in sectors considered essential to future economic growth.
The longstanding trade dialogue, established in 1991, provides a regular platform for addressing economic priorities and identifying areas for closer collaboration. Taiwan remains one of Britain's most important commercial partners in the Asia-Pacific region, ranking sixth among the UK's trading partners in the region. Bilateral trade reached £8.9 billion in 2025.
Lord Sarwar highlighted the economic benefits of the relationship, emphasising its contribution to employment, investment and growth in both countries.
He said the latest discussions had opened up further possibilities for cooperation in digital commerce, clean energy and advanced manufacturing, supporting Britain's industrial development and economic ambitions across the country.
Alongside the formal negotiations, government representatives met business leaders from both economies to examine opportunities for expanding commercial partnerships and attracting investment. A visiting Taiwanese business delegation also participated in a broader programme aimed at establishing new business connections and exploring opportunities in the British market.
New agreement to accelerate technological cooperation
A significant outcome of the London meetings was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between UK Export Finance and Taiwan's Export-Import Bank. The agreement, signed by British Representative to Taipei Ruth Bradley-Jones and Taiwan's Representative in London Vincent Yao, aims to improve cooperation on export financing and create additional opportunities for businesses operating in both markets.
The two sides also formally established a new framework for cooperation in science, innovation and technology. The arrangement was signed by Bradley-Jones and Yao, with the participation of Britain's National Technology Adviser, Dr Dave Smith, and Deputy Minister Bing-Yu Chen of Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council.
The agreement will provide an institutional basis for closer collaboration between the UK Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council.
Its priorities include joint research and development in strategically important fields such as semiconductor technology, space exploration, telecommunications, artificial intelligence standards and net-zero technologies.
The initiative builds on existing scientific and technological links, seeking to translate complementary strengths into practical benefits for researchers, technology companies and industrial partners.
Dr Dave Smith described Britain and Taiwan as natural partners in the development of emerging technologies, pointing to Britain's expertise in research, design and innovation and Taiwan's internationally recognised capabilities in advanced manufacturing and hardware production.
He noted that cooperation in areas including semiconductors, photonics, space and next-generation communications could generate significant opportunities for both economies.
According to Smith, the new arrangement provides a long-term framework for turning scientific partnerships into concrete results for businesses and research institutions.
Broader discussions on science and technology
The signing followed separate discussions between Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council Minister Cheng-Wen Wu and Britain's Minister for Space, Cyber and Regulatory Reform, Baroness Lloyd.
Their meeting focused on preparations for the new agreement and broader opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation in science and technology.
The latest developments reflect growing efforts by both sides to build on their established economic relationship while expanding cooperation in strategically important industries. With global supply chains facing increasing pressure and technological competition intensifying, the UK and Taiwan are seeking to combine their respective strengths in research, innovation and manufacturing to support future economic resilience and growth. Photo by xiangyang17, Wikimedia commons.
