Beijing fury risk as UK security minister ‘meets Taiwanese minister’ in break with convention

Tom Tugendhat met visiting Taiwanese digital minister Audrey Tang on Wednesday, sources tell Reuters

Britain only has formal ties with Beijing and the convention has been that senior British ministers do not meet Taiwanese officials

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British Security Minister Tom Tugendhat is responsible for countering terrorism, domestic state threats and economic crime. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:56pm, 17 Jun 2023Updated: 2:17pm, 17 Jun 2023

Britain’s security minister, Tom Tugendhat, met Taiwan’s digital minister on Wednesday, people with knowledge of the talks said, a meeting that breaks with conventional British foreign policy and risks infuriating the Chinese government.

Britain only has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, but maintains a de facto embassy in Taipei. Although junior British ministers hold talks with their Taiwanese counterparts, the convention was that senior ministers did not meet Taiwanese officials.

One source said the meeting with the Taiwanese minister, Audrey Tang, was about mutual security interests.

Tang was on a rare high-level ministerial trip to Britain this week. Her office said she was expected to visit government departments and meet a company specialising in low-earth orbit satellites.

Audrey Tang at the opening of Taipei’s Ministry of Digital Affairs building in August last year. Photo: CNA

Mainland China considers democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory and fiercely objects to perceived foreign interference with the island.

Tugendhat, who was sanctioned by China two years ago for speaking out about alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, is not a full cabinet minister but attends cabinet meetings in his role as security minister, where he is responsible for countering terrorism, domestic state threats and economic crime.