UK summons China envoy over Taiwan 'aggression'; US provoked us, says Beijing ambassador

The British government has summoned the Chinese ambassador to the country over Beijing's "aggressive behaviour" towards Taiwan and urged it to resolve the differences by peaceful means.

According to sources in London, foreign secretary Liz Truss asked her junior minister to summon the envoy. She also said that the UK and its partners condemned China's escalation in the region.

The foreign, commonwealth and development office (FCDO) said on Wednesday (10) that Second Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Tim Barrow summoned ambassador Zheng Zeguang over Beijing's "wide-ranging escalation" against Taiwan over the last week after US leader Nancy Pelosi visited the self-ruled island on August 2.

“The UK and partners have condemned in the strongest terms China's escalation in the region around Taiwan, as seen through our recent G7 statement,” Truss, who is currently in the race with Rishi Sunak to become the next British prime minister, said in a statement.

“I instructed officials to summon the Chinese Ambassador to explain his country's actions. We have seen increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from Beijing in recent months, which threaten peace and stability in the region,” she said.

“The United Kingdom urges China to resolve any differences by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force or coercion,” she added.

Following the meeting, a Chinese report quoted Zeguang as saying that his government's actions were provoked by the US “in collusion with the ‘Taiwan independence' separatist forces”.

China's ruling Communist party has long claimed Taiwan's sovereignty.

Beijing insists its “one-China principle” would bar most incumbent foreign government officials from setting foot on the island. Zheng last week also warned senior British parliamentarians against visiting Taiwan.

[With agency inputs]