Following a visit by a number of officials to Taiwan earlier this month, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, British minister of state, expressed the UK's strong opposition to the use of force in the Taiwan Strait.
"We take every opportunity to convey to the Chinese government, and through informal channels to the Taiwanese authorities, our strong opposition to the use of force or to any action that raises possible areas of tension across the Taiwan Strait," Symons said last Monday while answering questions in the House of Lords concerning Taiwan's defensive referendum and bids to join international bodies.
She made the remarks in response to questions by Lord Faulkner of Worcester, vice chairman of the British-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group, who visited Taiwan with a number of British officials at the beginning of the month.
President Chen Shui-bian (
Faulkner asked the baroness in the House of Lords whether the UKs government would support the resolution passed by the European Parliament on Dec. 18 last year to maintain the EU embargo on selling arms to China.
"Ministers are currently considering the United Kingdom's position," Symons said. "In the meantime, we shall continue fully to implement the arms embargo."
Faulkner suggested to Symons that the UK government could demand the removal of the missiles which China is aiming at Taiwan as an "absolute precondition" for the resumption of arms sales to China.
Faulkner asked the baroness whether the UK government believes Taiwan's defensive referendum is entirely a matter for the people of Taiwan, or whether China should be consulted. While recognizing the importance of Faulkner's questions concerning China and Taiwan, Symons did not directly touch on the referendum issue.
"I assured him [Faulkner] that the government attaches great importance to the avoidance of conflict in the Taiwan Strait," she said.
Lord Avebury asked Symons whether the UK should adopt better measures to protect Taiwan from Chinese aggression in future by enhancing Taiwan's status in the international community.
"If we cannot recognize Taiwan as an independent country, which it is, in a legal sense, should we try to ensure the admission of Taiwan to international bodies such as the World Health Organization?" Avebury asked.
Symons replied that any recognition of that kind is "bound to raise international tensions between Taiwan and China."
"Laudable as much of the motivation is behind his question, the noble lord must also consider the outcomes of increasing the tensions that would inevitably follow any such move," Symons said.
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