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President Tsai reiterates interest in trade, investment pact with U.K.

ROC Central News Agency

05/19/2023 03:14 PM

Taipei, May 19 (CNA) A trade and investment agreement between Taiwan and the United Kingdom would further deepen bilateral relations, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told visiting former U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss on Friday.

The comment was made during a meeting at the Presidential Office, with Tsai noting that the signing of such a deal required joint efforts and would "further deepen economic and trade relations" between the two sides.

Tsai has previously expressed her administration's interest in securing a trade and investment deal with the U.K., including during a meeting with then-Minister of State at the Department for International Trade Greg Hands last November.

Democracies around the world should "act in solidarity" in the face of authoritarian expansion, she said, echoing recent remarks by Truss, who remains a Conservative member of the British Parliament after her tumultuous 49-day stint as prime minister last year.

Taiwan looks forward to strengthening cooperation with the U.K. in areas relating to supply chain resilience, cybersecurity, and other emerging science and technologies, Tsai added.

Without commenting on Tsai's proposal for a bilateral pact, Truss underscored the importance of continuing to build "economic links and positive relationships" among free democracies that are facing "increasing struggle" against autocracies.

"The U.K. is very clear that we need to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," said Truss, adding that "we have to make sure Taiwan is able to defend itself."

She again brought up the idea of establishing an "economic NATO" where countries sharing similar values of freedom and democracy "work together economically to challenge coercion by authoritarian regimes."

Truss, who has been a China hawk since her days as U.K. foreign secretary from September 2021 to September 2022, said in a speech earlier this week that an "economic NATO" including the G7 nations, the European Union and some Asian democracies could "take on the economic coercion" of China.

Truss arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday for a five-day visit, making her the first former U.K. prime minister to have come to Taiwan in 27 years since Margaret Thatcher's last visit in 1996.

Over the past few days, Truss has met with Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), who has recently been fielded as candidate for the 2024 presidential race by the Democratic Progressive Party, and Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), as well as Taiwanese lawmakers across party lines.

(By Teng Pei-ju)

Enditem/KB