Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss is set to travel to Taiwan next week to meet with senior members of the self-governing island's government. Truss will use her visit to build on her recent remarks that Western democracies should take a tougher stance on China. In a statement on Monday, Truss said that she is looking forward to showing solidarity with the Taiwanese people in the face of increasingly aggressive behavior and rhetoric from the regime in Beijing. Truss described Taiwan as a "beacon of freedom and democracy," and her visit to the island is expected to be seen as a signal of support for Taiwan against China's growing aggression.
Truss's stance on China contrasts with that of her successor, Rishi Sunak, who has pursued economic ties with the world's second-largest economy and has taken a softer tone towards China. However, Sunak has also acknowledged that China represents a significant challenge to international order and pledged to support Taiwan in standing up to Chinese aggression.
Truss's visit to Taiwan comes at a time when tensions between China and Taiwan are on the rise. China considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory and has never ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. The United States and other Western countries have expressed support for Taiwan's democracy and criticized China's efforts to isolate and intimidate the island.
The announcement of Truss's visit comes just days after reports that James Cleverly may become the first UK foreign secretary to visit China in over five years. Truss held power for just seven weeks last year before resigning after her economic policies led to turmoil in the bond market and caused the pound to plummet. Her visit to Taiwan is expected to be closely watched by observers as a signal of the UK's stance towards China and its support for Taiwan's democracy.