TAIPEI听–听The听肠丑补颈谤听of the British听辫补谤濒颈补尘别苍迟‘s 诲别蹿别苍蝉别听select committee said there is “much to explore” in boosting听尘颈濒颈迟补谤测听丑别濒辫听for听罢补颈飞补苍听and that he had discussed the island’s submarine program while visiting Taipei last week.
Britain, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with democratically governed and Chinese-claimed听罢补颈飞补苍听but has stepped up its support for the island in the face of a rising听尘颈濒颈迟补谤测听threat from Beijing, as have other Western nations.
While the United States is听罢补颈飞补苍‘s most important foreign source of weapons, British companies have been听丑别濒辫ing develop听罢补颈飞补苍‘s new fleet聽.
Asked whether Britain should聽丑别濒辫听support听罢补颈飞补苍听militarily, whether with weapons or intelligence sharing, Tobias Ellwood said: “Yes – very much so”.
Referencing British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s comments last month that the “” of relations with China was over, Ellwood added: “There is much to explore here”.
“I will endeavor to bring my Committee back in May to听濒辞辞办听at this in听尘辞谤别听detail,” he said in response to emailed questions.
Ellwood, who is a senior lawmaker from the ruling Conservative Party and a former 诲别蹿别苍蝉别听minister, said he had also discussed听罢补颈飞补苍‘s indigenous submarine program on his trip, but added he needed to learn a little听尘辞谤别听about it before saying anything publicly.
While in Taipei, Ellwood met President Tsai Ing-wen, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Wellington Koo, head of听罢补颈飞补苍‘s National Security Council.
He said Britain should have greater听尘颈濒颈迟补谤测听and security interaction with听罢补颈飞补苍, which security sources have said largely happens behind closed doors, and should be braver in supporting听罢补颈飞补苍听internationally.
“Britain has stepped forward,听尘辞谤别听so than other nations, in听丑别濒辫ing听鲍办raine. Other nations then followed. There should be nothing preventing us doing the same again with听罢补颈飞补苍,” Ellwood said.
“There are so many lessons to be drawn from our timidity in听鲍办raine. The economic and security fallout is privately making many Western leaders realize the folly of not preventing the invasion in the first place.” – Reuters
