Category: Questions

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 196276, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2023 to Question 190783 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Taiwan: Foreign Relations, if he will identify which minister represented his Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021, (e) 2022 and (f) 2023; and if he will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented his Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021, (E) 2022 and (F) 2023.

Answer
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

There have been no meetings between ministers from this Department and Taiwan in the years 2018 to 2023. The Department has had regular official level meetings with representatives of the Taiwanese administration during this period, both in the UK and through the British Office in Taipei, in line with our longstanding policy on Taiwan.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 195952, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take diplomatic steps to support Taiwan’s application to join CPTPP.

Answer
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

The UK has welcomed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) members’ willingness to expand the group. Membership is open to all economies willing and able to meet the high standards of the agreement, and with a demonstrated pattern of complying with their trade commitments. The UK’s priority now is the key parliamentary processes needed to take place before the deal can be ratified, and we will not be commenting on the specifics of Taiwan or any other economies’ interest in the agreement.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 195953, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of (a) a blockade and (b) an invasion of Taiwan on the economy.

Answer
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

The UK’s longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. The Government is continually working to strengthen the UK’s contingency planning across a range of international challenges, including threats to global supply chains. The Integrated Review Refresh outlines clearly and in detail our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific; and sets out how we protect UK interests including our economy and supply chains.

 

Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
UIN 196278, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2023 to Question 187964 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Taiwan, if she will identify which minister represented her Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021, (e) 2022 and (f) 2023; and if she will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented her Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021, (E) 2022 and (F) 2023.

Answer
Mark Spencer
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

The Department had regular official level meetings with representatives of the Taiwanese administration during this period, both in the UK and through the British Office in Taipei, in line with our longstanding policy on Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for Culture, Media and Sport
UIN 196280, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2023 to Question 187962 on Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Taiwan, if she will identify which minister represented her Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021, (e) 2022 and (f) 2023; and if she will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented her Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021, (E) 2022 and (F) 2023.

Answer
Sir John Whittingdale
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

From 2018 to 2022 there has been no Ministerial led discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration.

The Department did have official level meetings with representatives of the Taiwanese administration during this period, in line with our longstanding policy on Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for Transport
UIN 196277, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2023 to Question 187965 on Department for Transport: Taiwan, if he will identify which minister represented his Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021, (e) 2022 and (f) 2023 ; and if he will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented his Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021, (E) 2022 and (F) 2023.

Answer
Jesse Norman
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

Between 2018 and 2023, DfT Ministers have met with representatives of Taiwan once. In 2020, Baroness Vere of Norbiton met with the Taipei Representative to the UK to discuss transport matters.

The Department also had regular official level meetings with representatives of the Taiwanese administration during this period, both in the UK and through the British Office in Taipei, in line with our longstanding policy on Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for Business and Trade
UIN 190854, tabled on 22 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2023 to Question 187961 on The Department of Business and Trade: Taiwan, if she will identify which minister represented her Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021 and (e) 2022; and if she will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented her Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021 and (E) 2022.

Answer
Nigel Huddleston
Conservative

Answered on
10 July 2023

From 2018 to 2022 the annual UK-Taiwan Trade Talks were co-hosted by the Minister of State for Trade Policy. These were Sir George Hollingbery (2018), the Rt Hon Sir Conor Burns (2019), the Rt Hon Greg Hands (2020 and 2022), and the Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt (2021).

The Second Permanent Secretary met with representatives of the Taiwanese Administration in 2022.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 191057, tabled on 26 June 2023

Question
Jim Shannon
Democratic Unionist Party

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to respond to Chinese military exercises off Taiwan.

Answer
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative

Answered on
3 July 2023

The UK’s longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ and Leaders’ communiques.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 190783, tabled on 22 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with representatives of the Government of Taiwan in each of the last five years.

Answer
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative

Answered on
30 June 2023

The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has had discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration in years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 190815, tabled on 22 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has had discussions with representatives of the Government of Taiwan in each of the last five years.

Answer
James Heappey
Conservative

Answered on
29 June 2023

The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values.

The Ministry of Defence has had no discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration in the last five years.