China denounces British trade minister's planned visit to Taiwan

China has denounced the British trade minister’s planned visit to Taiwan, insisting that the UK must stop any form of official exchanges with the self-ruled island.

Taiwanese authorities need to stop colluding with foreign forces, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said during his regular press briefing on Monday after UK’s Trade Minister Greg Hands announced plans to visit the self-ruled territory for trade talks later this week.

"Visiting Taiwan in person is a clear signal of the UK's commitment to boosting UK-Taiwan trade ties. Like the UK, Taiwan is a champion of free and fair trade underpinned by a rules-based global trading system," Hands’ office said in a statement cited in a Reuters report.

The report also cited Britain's Department for International Trade as announcing that the minister of state for trade and also a member of parliament would also meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during his two-day visit and co-host the 25th annual UK-Taiwan trade talks.

Hands will also meet Taiwan's top trade negotiator John Deng and Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua, the statement added.

London has no formal diplomatic ties with Taipei but the two governments have close economic and informal relations and Britain maintains a de-facto embassy in the Taiwanese capital.

Chinese Taipei has welcomed London's support against China’s recent military drills near the island territory as well as British backing for its participation in international organizations, most of which do not recognize Taiwan due to Beijing’s objections.

According to the report, Britain -- like Taiwan and China -- is also applying to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). 

Members agreed in February that Britain can proceed with its application as it seeks new trading relationships after withdrawing from the European Union.

Meanwhile, US-led Western governments and lawmakers have been increasing their visits to Taiwan, despite strong objections by Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island and bristles at anything that suggests it is a separate country.

Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized last month during the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that his government is committed to peaceful reunification with Taiwan, but may use force if necessary. 

China committed to Taiwan peaceful reunification, but will use forces if necessary: Xi

China

“Resolving the Taiwan issue is a matter for Chinese people themselves, and must be resolved by Chinese people alone,” Xi said. 

"We will adhere to striving for the prospect of a peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and greatest efforts, but will never commit to abandoning the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures."

He said China "resolutely opposes all forms of hegemony and power politics, opposes the Cold War mentality, opposes interfering in other countries’ domestic politics, opposes double standards," adding that Beijing “will never seek hegemony and will never engage in expansion.”

China has sovereignty over Taiwan, and under the ‘One China’ policy, almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty, meaning that they would not establish diplomatic contact with the island's secessionist government.

The US, too, claims commitment to that principle, but in violation of its own stated policy and in an attempt to antagonize Beijing, as courted the secessionist government in Taipei, supporting its anti-China stance, and supplying it with a large cache of weaponry.

China staged massive naval and air drills near Taiwan in August after Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi paid a provocative visit to Taipei amid escalating efforts by Washington to further engage with the island and sell weapons to it.

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