On November 9, during a meeting in Taipei, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen expressed Taiwan’s interest in forging a trade agreement with the United Kingdom. This was articulated in a discussion with Greg Hands, the UK’s Minister of State for Trade. The Taiwanese president conveyed the island’s intention to bolster economic and trade relations and highlighted the mutual benefits such a partnership could yield.
The conversation also addressed Taiwan’s role in the global semiconductor industry, emphasizing its readiness to contribute to the restructuring of the supply chain in this sector. President Tsai mentioned Taiwan’s eagerness to support the creation of a more robust global supply framework, particularly in cooperation with democratic nations like the UK. Further topics included Taiwan’s support for the UK’s potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and its aspiration to join the same trade pact. President Tsai articulated hopes for continued progress in Taiwan-UK relations under the new British administration.
The UK’s Department for International Trade responded positively to ongoing efforts for joining the CPTPP but refrained from commenting on other potential members due to the fact that the UK has not yet formalized its own membership. Although the UK and Taiwan do not maintain formal diplomatic ties, they share a dynamic economic relationship and engage through various informal connections. The UK is represented in Taiwan through a de facto embassy. Minister Hands, who visited Taiwan for trade discussions, highlighted that the UK-Taiwan relationship extends beyond economic interests, pointing out shared values and challenges between the two as island entities with strong democratic institutions. In response to this visit, China’s foreign ministry has articulated its displeasure, advocating for the cessation of official exchanges between Taiwan and the UK.
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