Liz Truss' Taiwan trip makes Chinese 'reunification' with island more likely, Beijing spokesman threatens

10 May 2023, 18:46 | Updated: 10 May 2023, 18:47

A Chinese communist party official has warned that Liz Truss' planned trip to Taiwan could lead towards China "exercising jurisdiction" over the island.

Former Prime Minister Ms Truss is set to visit Taiwan next week, which she hailed as a "beacon of freedom and democracy".

Taiwan believes it is a sovereign state, while China views it as a breakaway province that will eventually be controlled by Beijing.

The UK does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but conducts an unofficial relationship. Downing Street maintains a careful approach to its relationship with China.

Victor Gao, a spokesperson for the ruling Chinese communist party, hit out at the ex-PM in an interview with LBC's Andrew Marr, saying her visit "will have no constructive purposes at all".

Victor Gao criticises Liz Truss over planned Taiwan visit

"I hope Liz Truss will no longer damage the fundamental interests of the British people, and she should know decency and respect for the British people, British fundamental interests, rather than engaging in 'Brinkswomanship' in damaging the reputation of Britain and undermining China-UK relations," he said.

Mr Gao added: "The damage she will do to China UK relations will be huge. So I hope she will pay attention to what she conducts herself because she does not want to inflict mortal wounds to China-UK relations."

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China has recently been conducting menacing military exercises near Taiwan, which is an island near the mainland.

When former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August last year, China deployed tanks on beaches opposite the island and carried out live-fire exercises in a threatening display of force.

But Mr Gao poured scorn on the notion that Ms Truss' visit could provoke a similar show.

He said: "I don't think Liz Truss can ever measure up to the importance of Nancy Pelosi at the time in August 2022.

"And if she believes that she could trigger a repercussion because of her proposed visit, she's completely misguided.

"I think she is not impactful or consequential at all by any stretch of the imagination."

But he claimed that Ms Truss' trip could be a factor in speeding up a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Mr Gao said: "I would even dare to say that Liz Truss' illicit visit to Taiwan is one of those steps leading the situation towards the direction of going over the point of no return. So if that really happens, she will be together with those people to be held responsible for provoking the situation, pushing the situation eventually beyond the point of no return."

He added: "The illicit illegitimate steps by people like Liz Truss in making illicit illegitimate visits to Taiwan will make it more likely that China will exercise jurisdiction over Taiwan sooner rather than later.

"I'm pretty sure Liz Truss will live to see the unification of Taiwan with Motherland - with China - and I hope she will not really eternally regret that she made the wrong decision, which damaged the fundamental interest of the British people, inflicting damage on China-UK relations and turning herself into a laughing stock".

Ms Truss's talk is organised by the Prospect Foundation and is expected to be entitled 'Taiwan: on the frontline of freedom and democracy'.

The former PM said earlier: "I’m looking forward to showing solidarity with the Taiwanese people in person in the face of increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from the regime in Beijing."

A government spokesperson said: "We wouldn’t get involved in the independent travel decisions of a private citizen who is not a member of the government."

A Foreign Office spokesperson added: "We have no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, and underpinned by shared democratic values."