The Chinese government believes that the UK government has in some ways tried to advance its relations with Taiwan. They stated that the UK has adopted the use of trade “as an excuse” to strengthen its bilateral relations with Taiwan.
The concerns of the Chinese government were made known following the announcement of the bilateral trade talks’ agreement.
A day before the statement was made, the British envoy in Taipei, Amb. John Dennis, and Taiwan’s representative to the UK, Kelly Hsieh, signed an agreement covering diverse areas of mutual concern. The agreement, which was an enhanced trade partnership (ETP) agreement, was meant to bridge future talks between the two countries in areas such as digital trade, green energy, business, foreign direct investment (FDI), and other important areas.
Speaking on the ETP signed with Taiwan, Amb. Dennis said that the agreement between the two countries will help advance their “trade relations to new heights” as it “represents the culmination of our longstanding work to develop new forms of engagement.”
The agreement became the first time a European country and Taiwan would enter into an articulated bilateral trade relationship based on diverse areas of interest.
It is expected that the agreement will serve as a model for other countries, paving the way for further agreements between Taiwan and other countries.
The UK remains Taiwan’s third-biggest trading partner in Europe.
