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TAIPEI, Dec 5 (Reuters) – The chairman of Britain’s parliament’s defense select committee said there was “a lot to explore” in increasing military aid to Taiwan and discussed the island’s submarine program during a visit to Taipei last week.
Britain, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with democratically-ruled and Chinese-claimed Taiwan but, like other Western nations, has increased its support for the island in view of the growing military threat from Beijing.
While the United States is Taiwan’s most important foreign arms source, British companies are helping to develop Taiwan’s new fleet of domestically built submarines.
Asked whether Britain should help Taiwan militarily, whether with arms or intelligence sharing, Tobias Ellwood said: “Yes – very much”.
Referring to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s comment last month that the “golden age” of relations with China was over, Ellwood added: “There’s a lot to explore”.
“I will try to bring my committee back in May to look at this in more detail,” he said in response to emailed questions.
Ellwood, who is a senior lawmaker in the ruling Conservative Party and a former defense minister, said he also discussed Taiwan’s indigenous submarine program on his trip, but needed to learn more about it before saying anything publicly.
In Taipei, Ellwood met with President Tsai Ing-wen, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, and Wellington Koo, head of Taiwan’s National Security Council.
He said Britain should have more military and security interaction with Taiwan, which security sources have said takes place mostly behind closed doors, and should be bolder in supporting Taiwan internationally.
“Britain has gone further than any other nation in helping Ukraine. Other nations have followed suit. There should be nothing stopping us from doing so again with Taiwan,” Ellwood said.
“There are many lessons to be learned from our cowardice in Ukraine. The economic and security consequences privately make many Western leaders realize the folly of preventing an invasion in the first place.”
Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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