Liz Truss, the UK’s newly appointed Prime Minister, is pushing for a stronger stance against China and greater support for Taiwan in a bid to promote the rules-based international order that has governed post-World War Two trade and diplomacy. Truss’s views on China and Taiwan contrast significantly with her predecessor, Boris Johnson, who faced criticism for not hardening his policy towards Beijing fast enough.
Truss has called for an audit of China’s reach across critical industries and deeper economic ties with Taiwan, including the proposal of an upgrade to Taiwan’s diplomatic status and a stronger Pacific defense alliance. She is also set to recommend that the G7 group of major economies agree on a package of sanctions to take in case of escalating tensions with China over Taiwan.
During a recent three-day visit to Taiwan, Truss described China as the “biggest state-based threat to the UK’s economic security.” Her remarks are likely to anger China, which has warned both the UK and the US to keep out of its “internal affairs.”
Truss’s speech at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Symposium is also seen as an attempt to exert pressure on the UK government to toughen its China policy as it completes its integrated review of defense and security strategy.
However, Truss’s stance has drawn criticism from China’s Communist Party’s official newspaper, the People’s Daily. The Global Times dubbed Truss a “radical populist” and urged her to drop the “outdated imperial mentality.”
Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has positioned the country towards a “practical and stable place” in global affairs, calming relations with China after his predecessors’ more strident approaches. Cleverly has said engagement with China is necessary to retain influence and focus on national interests beyond merely pulling the shutters down.
Former UK trade secretary Liz Truss’s hardline stance on China and support for Taiwan reflects growing concerns among UK policymakers about China’s military and economic assertiveness and the risks of its investments in the UK. It also highlights the importance of ensuring effective alliances with Europe and North America to protect UK interests post-Brexit.
The growing tensions between the UK and China may further strain the already delicate Sino-British relations. In response to a boycott of next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing, China’s ambassador to the UK warned the consequence of such a move would damage Sino-British ties. However, recent developments suggest that such warnings may fall on deaf ears as the UK toughens its stance towards China.
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