Category: Questions

Question for Treasury
UIN HL1663, tabled on 12 July 2022

Question
Lord Alton of Liverpool
Crossbench

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in arrangements for the 11th UK–China Economic and Financial Dialogue, what consideration they have given to (1) reports that the Foreign Secretary described events in Xinjiang as a “genocide”, (2) threats to the territorial integrity of Taiwan, and (3) the statement by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the Six-monthly report on Hong Kong, published on 31 March, that “fundamental parts of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework have been undermined”.

Answer
Baroness Penn
Conservative

Answered on
21 July 2022

Economic and Financial Dialogues (EFDs) provide an important mechanism for progressing our economic, financial and trade relationships. No date has been agreed for the next UK-China EFD.

We have been clear that we will not hesitate to stand up to China on our values where they are threatened.

The UK has led international efforts at the UN to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang. We have imposed sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, on senior Chinese officials and taken steps to help ensure that no UK organisations are complicit in these violations through their supply chains. As a co-signatory to the Joint Declaration, we will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out the violation of their freedoms, and to hold China to their international obligations.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 24569, tabled on 24 June 2022

Question
Mr Virendra Sharma
Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve UK diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
30 June 2022

The UK has a clear interest in enduring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and the G7 Leaders’ Communiqué this month underscored this with our international partners. As the Foreign Secretary said in her Mansion House speech, we must ensure that democracies like Taiwan are able to defend themselves. Though the United Kingdom does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, we have a vibrant unofficial relationship, based on dynamic commercial, educational and cultural ties. This relationship delivers significant benefits to both the UK and Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for Education
UIN 11774, tabled on 1 June 2022

Question
Catherine West
Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to improve and expand education partnerships between the UK and Taiwan.

Answer
Alex Burghart
Conservative

Answered on
8 June 2022

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, which we will continue to grow. Taiwan is the world’s 21st largest economy and the UK’s 28th largest trading partner.

Taiwan has set out plans to become a bilingual society in Mandarin and English by 2030. We are supporting this ambition by helping their efforts to ensure higher education can be taught in English, improve standards in teaching, learning and assessment of English, and build greater education links in both directions.

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 8054, tabled on 24 May 2022

Question
Rachael Maskell
Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the comments of the President of the United States on US support for Taiwan in the event of Chinese military action on 23 May 2022, what assessment she has made of implications for those comments for her policies on UK support for Taiwan.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
6 June 2022

The UK’s longstanding position 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. We are concerned by any activity that risks destabilising the status quo.

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 1126, tabled on 12 May 2022

Question
Emily Thornberry
Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in what year (a) Eritrea, (b) Palau, (c) Palestine, (d) Somaliland, (e) Taiwan and (f) Timor Leste were were granted privileges in the UK within the terms of the (i) Consular Relations Act 1968 and (ii) Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
19 May 2022

The Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 and the Consular Relations Act 1968 give effect in domestic law to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations respectively. The UK maintains diplomatic and consular relations with Eritrea, which acceded to both Conventions on 14 January 1997, and with Timor-Leste which acceded to the Conventions on 30 January 2004; Palau, Somaliland and Taiwan are not party to either Convention. The position of Her Majesty’s Government is clear that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 127566, tabled on 22 February 2022

Question
Fleur Anderson
Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect Taiwanese citizens living outside of Taiwan from possible extradition to China.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
3 March 2022

The UK does not have an extradition treaty with either China or Taiwan, but extraditions can be requested on a case-by-case basis by both. UK courts determine whether extradition would infringe upon an individual’s human rights, and extradition from the UK is barred if the court finds that the prosecution is politically motivated. We are unable to comment on what the judicial system of another state might decide to do in such a case.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 92840, tabled on 14 December 2021

Question
Andrew Rosindell
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she or her officials have held discussions with Nicaraguan counterparts on that county’s termination of diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
22 December 2021

There have been no conversations between the UK and Nicaragua on this issue since Nicaragua’s decision to terminate relations with Taiwan.

 

Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 80990, tabled on 24 November 2021

Question
Jim Shannon
Democratic Unionist Party

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has held discussions with the Foreign Secretary on potential UK Government support for the Government of Taiwan in the context of the political situation across the Taiwan Strait.

Answer
James Heappey
Conservative

Answered on
30 November 2021

The Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary meet regularly to discuss a wide range of international issues. These meetings often cover multiple topics and countries at appropriate classification.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN HL3920, tabled on 10 November 2021

Question
Lord Blencathra
Conservative

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, to call for Taiwan to be given observer status at Interpol.

Answer
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Conservative

Answered on
25 November 2021

Taiwan has a valuable contribution to make on issues of global concern, including efforts to combat international organised crime. We therefore support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations, where there is no pre-requisite of statehood for participation. This includes observer status at INTERPOL. Taiwan’s participation in this organisation would, in our view, reduce co-operation black spots, which pose a risk to the UK and our international partners.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN HL3874, tabled on 9 November 2021

Question
Lord Dodds of Duncairn
Democratic Unionist Party

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent discussions they have had with NATO partners about China’s policy towards Taiwan.

Answer
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Conservative

Answered on
23 November 2021

Her Majesty’s Government considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. The UK Government is in regular contact with like-minded partners on our shared priorities.