U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak continued to battle it out for the leadership of the country and the Tory party at hustings in Birmingham on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, night. While the focus was on domestic issues — rising inflation, taxes, public services and ‘woke’ culture, but foreign policy, including China, also featured briefly.
When asked what his response would be if China were to militarily threaten the self-ruling island of Taiwan, Mr. Sunak said he would not change the current Taiwan policy of the U.K. and that it was the right approach. The U.K. does not recognise Taiwan nor does it have formal diplomatic ties with it.
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“The best thing we can do to prevent aggression against Taiwan from China is showing Russia that they will not be successful in Ukraine,” Mr Sunak said to the host, Times Radio’s John Pienaar. Asked how he would tackle “reliance” on China, he outlined his previously declared plan for relations with the country, calling China the biggest national security threat to the U.K.
“We need to be robust in standing up for our values and our interests,” he said, adding that it meant supporting people in Hong Kong.
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“It means a defence partnership with Australia and America and putting our aircraft carrier in the region to show that we care about our allies over there,” Mr Sunak said, presumably referring to AUKUS, a security arrangement between the three countries, announced in 2021, that seeks to equip Australia with nuclear fuelled submarines. The U.K.’s Carrier Strike Group deployed to the Indo Pacific last year as part of the country’s ‘Indo Pacific tilt’ .
Truss Prepared to set of nuclear weapons if need arises
In a segment on her personality, Ms. Truss she would set off the U.K.’s nuclear weapons, as Prime Minister, if the need arose, when asked if she would push the button even if it meant “global annihilation”.
“I think it’s an important duty of the Prime Minister... I’m ready to do that,” she said to applause and cheers from the audience.
