UK approves increased submarine-related exports to Taiwan: Reuters

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Mar 2023 22:05

Lawmakers with knowledge of the exports say the approvals demonstrate Britain's greater readiness to back Taiwan.

People attend the ceremony for the start of construction of a new submarine fleet in Taiwan, Nov. 24, 2020 (Reuters)

In 2022, Britain approved a significant increase in submarine parts and technology exports to Taiwan as it modernizes its naval forces, a step that might affect British-Chinese relations, Reuters reported on Monday.

The UK government export licensing data show that the value of licenses issued by the government to corporations for the sale of submarine-related components and technology to Taiwan reached a record 167 million pounds ($201.29 million) during the first nine months of last year. This is more than the preceding six years combined, according to Reuters.

Although the data is publicly available, the most current Taiwan-related numbers haven't previously been reported.

After Reuters provided the numbers to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the latter considered in a statement that "if this is true, it is a serious violation of the one-China principle, undermines China's sovereignty and security interests, and undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

"China is highly concerned about this and firmly opposes it," the Ministry stressed, calling on Britain to "refrain from providing military support to the Taiwan authorities."

Although the UK does not recognize Taiwan and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island, it maintains economic and trade ties, and there is a de facto British embassy in Taipei.

On the other hand, a British government spokesperson pointed out in a statement that the UK has a long record of "granting licenses for exports of controlled goods to Taiwan, on a case-by-case basis, where those applications are consistent with the rules that regulate the exports of arms and dual-use products."

"We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion," the statement read.

Reuters cited two government officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, as saying that the increased number of licenses issued reflects increased demand from Taiwan.

The news agency also cited two lawmakers with knowledge of the exports and two former officials as saying that the approvals demonstrate Britain's greater readiness to back Taiwan.

According to Reuters, the data come from the Export Control Organisation, which is part of the UK Department for International Trade and is in charge of export licensing. It reveals that the government approved 25 export permits to Taiwan during the first nine months of 2022 under the categories "components for submarines" and "technology for submarines."

It is noteworthy that on Monday, the British government announced an increase in defense expenditure as part of an update to its defense, security, and foreign policy priorities, outlining how it intends to tackle alleged "new threats" from China and Russia.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak specifically identified China’s stance in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait as among issues "threatening to create a world defined by danger, disorder and division – and an international order more favourable to authoritarianism."

Commenting on the submarine-related exports from Britain, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry pointed out that its ship-building program was "a major national policy, and the navy has promoted various projects in a pragmatic way under it."

"We hope that all walks of life will continue to give their support, to jointly maintain the security and peace of the Taiwan Strait," the Ministry said in a statement.

As Taiwan revealed plans to develop a submarine fleet in 2017, Britain began to offer submarine-related licenses. Reuters previously reported that a number of foreign submarine technology providers have been assisting the effort with the agreement of their own governments.

According to licensing statistics, Britain permitted the export of 87 million pounds worth of submarine components and technology to Taiwan in 2020, up from 31,415 pounds in 2017 and none in 2016. In 2021, the value of such licenses approved plunged to just about 9 million pounds.

Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the UK parliament's defense committee and a Conservative Party member who visited Taiwan in December, told Reuters that the British government must be careful about how much information it makes public about the equipment covered by the export permits.

"An announcement of the specific nature of these exports risks revealing sensitive information on Taiwan's defensive capabilities and some of the UK government's caution in discussing these exports is valid," Ellwood pointed out.

One former British official also underlined that "every decision around Taiwan is made very deliberately and usually cautiously."