China slams Truss' Taiwan visit as 'dangerous political show'

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The Chinese government slammed former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss' Taiwan visit as a "dangerous political show which will do nothing but harm to the UK."

Earlier on Tuesday, the Taiwanese Central News Agency reported that Truss arrived at Taoyuan International Airport for a five-day working visit and was welcomed by Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in London accused Truss of "colluding with 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces to provoke confrontation," in a statement issued before her speech in Taipei.

It added that Truss, with her visit, would "further expose herself as a failed politician."

Read more: 12 Chinese aircraft, 5 ships spotted around Taiwan: MoD

'Self-promotion on social media'

The former leader has also faced accusations back home that she is indulging in irresponsible intimidation in a bid to maintain her political relevance.

"The (Taiwan) trip is performative, not substantive," House of Commons foreign relations committee chair, Alicia Kearns, told The Guardian newspaper last week.

"It is the worst kind of example of Instagram diplomacy," the Conservative said, recalling previous criticism of Truss' tireless self-promotion on social media.

Kearns added the trip is likely to deepen problems for Taiwan.

Truss' spokesperson claimed she had been invited by Taiwan's government, adding, "They are better placed to know what is in the interests of the Taiwanese people than (Kearns)."

Read more: War could disrupt nearly half of global trade: Taiwan FM

Truss urges Sunak to get tough with China on Taiwan

On Wednesday, Truss urged her successor Rishi Sunak to get tough with China on issues such as Taiwan.

Truss accused Sunak and other Western governments of "trying to cling on to the idea that we can cooperate with China on issues like climate change, as if there is nothing wrong."

The former UK Prime Minister also called on Sunak to make good on his pledge during the Conservative leadership campaign last year to designate China as a strategic "threat", stressing that the West cannot avoid another Cold War with China.

Truss demanded that Sunak immediately shut down UK-based Confucius Institutes, cultural centers controlled by Beijing.

She also suggested replacing them with centers run by people from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Read more: China army on high alert ahead of US arms producers visit to Taiwan

UK Foreign Secretary Cleverly not planning to visit Taiwan

In a related context, UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said on Tuesday that UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has no plans to visit Taiwan.

"No visit to Taiwan is planned by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs," Trevelyan said on the parliament website when asked whether Cleverly had plans to visit Taiwan in the next 12 months.

She also pointed out that "the UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, and underpinned by shared democratic values."