To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will take steps to provide training for Taiwanese soldiers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to take steps to provide naval patrols around Taiwan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will take steps to provide military aid to Taiwan.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to help protect people who have fled from (a) Hong Kong, (b) Taiwan and (c) authoritarian regimes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Secretary of State for Defence’s oral evidence to the International Relations Committee on 1st November, whether it is his Department’s policy to recognise China’s claims of sovereignty over Taiwan.
[EXCERPT] The UK’s approach to export licensing for Taiwan has not changed. The UK operates one of the most transparent export licensing systems in the world, publishing quarterly and
annual statistics on all our export licensing decisions, including details of export licences
granted, refused and revoked, including those to Taiwan. Quarterly statistics published by
the Export Control Joint Unit earlier in the year show that the UK has not ceased issuing
arms export licences to Taiwan. All applications are considered on a case by case basis
against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. Licences for exports of controlled goods
will only be granted where consistent with the Criteria.
The UK’s longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed: we have no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on dynamic commercial, educational and cultural ties.
Bob Stewart: From the point of view of the security of Taiwan and of the South China sea, the Government are obviously worried about that, as they sent a fleet there and an aircraft carrier through, but we still haven’t got the—am I allowed to use the word?—balls to actually put our aircraft carrier west-about Taiwan rather than east-about. The aircraft carrier went east-about to avoid offending the Chinese, because east-about is in the Taiwan straits. We as a Parliament should demonstrate solidarity with Taiwan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on support for the US sending troops to Taiwan to defend against potential Chinese invasion.
On Thursday 14th July, Lord West of Spithead (Labour), the former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, tabled a question for short debate in the House of Lords on topic of China.
The question tabled was ‘To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to respond to the long-term security challenges posed by China.’
To ask His Majesty’s Government whether the Prime Minister has spoken to President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan following her appointment; and if not, what plans she has to do so.