London [UK], November 16 (ANI): A scheduled meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was called off due to “time pressures,” according to UK newspaper Guardian. “Sunak’s bilateral with China’s president Xi has been cancelled this afternoon, described as being because of time pressures after the snap meeting this morning on the missiles in Poland. Blow to the intended reset of UK-China relations,” Gaurdian’s deputy political editor Jessica Elgot said in a tweet.
This meeting would have been the first in-person bilateral talks between the leaders of the two countries in five years. At a regular briefing on today, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said “I have no information to share with you” on the cancelled meeting.
“I would like to emphasise that China is committed to promoting the healthy and stable development of China-UK relations,” she added. “We hope the UK works together with China,” she said. The relationship between UK and China soured following London’s trade policy Minister Greg Hands’ visit to Taiwan. UK Minister was on a two-day visit to Taiwan where he met Taiepi’s President Tsai Ing-wen and co-host the 25th annual UK-Taiwan Trade Talks.
Visiting Taiwan in person is a clear signal of the UK’s commitment to boosting UK-Taiwan trade ties. Like the UK, Taiwan is a champion of free and fair trade underpinned by a rules-based global trading system, according to the UK government’s press release. “I first visited Taiwan 31 years ago in 1991 and it’s been fantastic to see the growth of this dynamic, vibrant economy. I’m thrilled to be the first trade minister here post-pandemic and to be celebrating the 25th anniversary of trade talks,” the statement quoted Hands as saying.
He further said, “Boosting trade with this vital partner is part of the UK’s post-Brexit tilt towards the Indo-Pacific and closer collaboration will help us future-proof our economy in the decades to come.”
Due to the UK’s offshore wind experience and expertise, the UK is already a major partner in Taiwan’s green transition, with more than 38 British companies already set up offices in Taiwan. The Minister visited the Formosa 2 offshore wind site – the first international offshore wind project supported by UK Export Finance – in which more than 10 British companies are involved, the statement reads.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian slammed British Minister Greg Hands over his visit to Taiwan and said that Beijing firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the London and the Taiwan region. During the regular media briefing had said, “China firmly rejects any official interaction with Taiwan by any country having diplomatic ties with China.”
He also requested the UK to respect China’s sovereignty and said, “Stop any form of interaction with Taiwan and stop giving the lost signal to Taiwan’s independent separatist forces.”
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman also warned the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Taiwan.
“We also make it clear to DPP authorities that any attempt to seek independence by soliciting external support is doomed to fail,” he had said. According to the Asian Lite International report, China and UK relations walked on the edgy path after the Henry Jackson Society Think tank released its report which revealed that 30 Confucius Institutes in the UK are “trading on the reputations” of British universities while promoting the ideology of the Chinese regime. (ANI)
