Former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) visit to the UK, within her successful European trip as “Taiwan’s ambassador,” demonstrated the development of relations between the two nations. Last year, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy canceled Tsai’s planned visit to the UK, concerned about angering China in close proximity to his own Beijing trip. This change of course signals progress toward stronger relations between the nations.
Tsai visited the UK Parliament and met with House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. In her address to UK lawmakers, Tsai highlighted two key points: the threats posed by authoritarian regimes to modern democracies, and the collaboration that the UK and Taiwan can rely on to address these challenges.
Tsai underscored that “it is a testing time for democracy around the world,” and that “the health of our democracies depends on our ability to cut off malign influence and ensure that people have access to reliable information environments.” Concerning cooperation to safeguard the current international order, Tsai emphasized her nation’s role, saying: “Taiwan is not only a bastion of democracy, but also a cornerstone for maintaining regional peace and stability.”
Tsai said that the two nations are further developing their ties by exchanging experiences and know-how in confronting disinformation and the manipulation of news implemented by assertive neighbors. Her specific reference was to those “anti-democratic forces” trying to create disunity and shatter the internal cohesion of their respective societies. Within this framework, Taiwan aims to contribute not just to the security of the Indo-Pacific region, but also to the enhancement of the security infrastructure of its Western allies.
One of the topics they might have discussed is collaboration in renewable energy, building on past discussions between the nations. In a meeting last year, the parties discussed energy storage, grid stability, net zero policies, offshore wind power generation and renewable energy development.
On the sidelines of this meeting, the Taiwanese government reiterated that it is looking forward to working with the UK as it strives to advance the country’s second energy transition and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Building on the Enhanced Trade Partnership Arrangement concluded by the two sides in late 2023, the two nations can deepen their cooperation — bilaterally and multilaterally — to achieve ambitious goals in combating climate change, and specifically regarding net zero emissions.
As Taiwan is prepared to offer assistance in the sector, a tangible opportunity is for the UK to leverage the Taiwanese market, especially in offshore wind energy. Security is another area where the parties’ interests ideally meet. The UK’s actions indeed demonstrate a clear willingness to pursue peace and stability in the South China Sea, mirroring the intentions of its Western partners.
London aims to achieve this objective through freedom of navigation operations, whose primary purpose is to uphold freedom of navigation by countering China’s illegitimate maritime claims. The UK conducted a 16-day freedom of navigation activity in the South China Sea this month. This reflects a clear recognition by the UK of the significance of joint operations in helping to solidify the belief in the urgency of a proactive approach to defending the rules-based international law.
Building on these foundations, the UK and Taiwan can enhance their ties in trade and military affairs to meet their shared interests. Operating within the framework of broader cooperation may then be crucial for more effectively pursuing the main objective of peace and stability in the South China Sea and beyond.
Michele Maresca is an analyst at Il Caffe Geopolitico.
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