Category: Questions

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 58751, tabled on 19 October 2021

Question
Andrew Rosindell
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of recent reports that China will be able to invade Taiwan by 2025.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
27 October 2021

We remain concerned by any action which raises tensions and risks destabilising the status quo. 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.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 59700, tabled on 20 October 2021

Question
Dr Julian Lewis
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with allies on the future security of Taiwan.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
25 October 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. We are concerned by any activity which raises tensions and risks destabilising the status quo, and underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in the recent G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ and Leaders’ communiques.

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 56423, tabled on 15 October 2021

Question
Rosie Cooper
Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that Taiwan can work with the international community effectively to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and recover from the covid-19 pandemic.

Answer
Amanda Milling
Conservative

Answered on
25 October 2021

Taiwan plays a valuable but voluntarily role in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, despite not being a member state of the UN. The UK Government welcomes Taiwan’s contribution and continues to work closely with Taiwan on this and other matters, including the fight against Covid-19. More broadly, the UK support’s Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations where statehood is not a prerequisite. The UK believes that the people of Taiwan have a valuable contribution to make on issues of global concern and this includes on sustainable development and their effective fight against the pandemic.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN HL2574, tabled on 9 September 2021

Question
Lord Blencathra
Conservative

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to allow Taiwanese representatives to participate in informal gatherings at COP26.

Answer
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Conservative

Answered on
23 September 2021

The UK Government welcomes the contribution Taiwan is voluntarily making to combat climate change, despite not being a signatory to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The UK Government has consistently stated its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations where statehood is not a requirement and where we believe Taiwan has a valuable contribution to make on issues of global concern. This includes climate change, which recognises no territorial boundaries.

 

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN HL2573, tabled on 9 September 2021

Question
Lord Blencathra
Conservative

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that Taiwan is represented at COP26.

Answer
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Conservative

Answered on
23 September 2021

The UK Government welcomes the contribution Taiwan is voluntarily making to combat climate change, despite not being a signatory to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The UK Government has consistently stated its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations where statehood is not a requirement and where we believe Taiwan has a valuable contribution to make on issues of global concern. This includes climate change, which recognises no territorial boundaries.

 

Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 40727, tabled on 18 August 2021

Mr Tobias Ellwood
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are plans to sail the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait during its visit to the Indo-pacific in July 2021.

James Heappey
Conservative

Answered on
6 September 2021

I can confirm that no element of the Carrier Strike Group sailed through the Taiwan Strait in July 2021. The Royal Navy will next navigate the Taiwan Strait when navigationally expeditious to do so and in accordance with international law and operational requirements. To preserve operational security, the Royal Navy does not discuss the specifics of the operational routings of ships in advance.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN HL1573, tabled on 29 June 2021

Question
Lord Truscott
Non-affiliated

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to supply Taiwan with COVID-19 vaccines; and what is the timetable on any such plans.

Answer
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Conservative

Answered on
13 July 2021

The UK remains committed to equitable access to safe and effective vaccines and the Prime Minister has stated that we will share vaccines with COVAX and has called on G7 leaders to vaccinate the world by end of next year. We will continue to discuss this issue with our G7 partners and will issue details of the quantities and timeframe for sharing vaccine doses soon.

Taiwan has had one of the lowest incidences of Covid-19 in the world since the outbreak of the pandemic. We are continuing to engage with the relevant authorities locally through the British Office in Taipei as it faces its first significant occurrence of community transmission of the virus. Taiwan has so far received 609,600 doses through the COVAX platform. We will continue to work with all of our international partners to deliver a strong global response to the pandemic.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 24103, tabled on 29 June 2021

Question
Mr Gregory Campbell
Democratic Unionist Party
East Londonderry Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to offer support to the Taiwan people in respect of the current political climate involving China.

Answer
Nigel Adams
Conservative
Selby and Ainsty Commons

Answered on
5 July 2021

HMG considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. However, we remain concerned by any action which raises tensions and risks destabilising the status quo.

 

Question for Department for International Trade
UIN 12938, tabled on 9 June 2021

Question
Mr David Davis
Conservative
Haltemprice and Howden Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans her Department has to open trade negotiations with Taiwan.

Answer
Greg Hands
Conservative
Chelsea and Fulham Commons

Answered on
14 June 2021

The UK remains committed to strengthening its rich and wide-ranging trading relationship with Taiwan. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Taiwan was £6.1 billion in 2020. The UK is working with Taiwan to deepen its relationship, including through the annual Trade Talks and associated dialogues, ministerial engagement, and through engagements by the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for International Trade
UIN 13928, tabled on 10 June 2021

Question
Mrs Heather Wheeler
Conservative
South Derbyshire Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans she has to expand the UK’s trade and investment relationship with Taiwan.

Answer
Greg Hands
Conservative
Chelsea and Fulham Commons

Answered on
14 June 2021

I refer my hon. Friend for South Derbyshire to the answer I gave to my Rt hon. Friend for Haltemprice and Howden on 14 June 2021, UIN: 12938