Days after Beijing concluded military exercises around Taiwan, U. K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss asked her office to summon China’s Ambassador to the U.K., Zheng Zeguang. This occurred as Beijing announced the conclusion of military exercises around Taiwan in response to Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei last week.
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“I instructed officials to summon the Chinese Ambassador to explain his country’s actions,” said Ms. Truss, who is a contender in the two-person contest for the leadership of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister’s role.
“We have seen increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from Beijing in recent months, which threaten peace and stability in the region. The United Kingdom urges China to resolve any differences by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force or coercion,” she said in a statement on Wednesday.
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The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said Mr. Zheng was summoned over Beijing’s “aggressive and wide-ranging escalation” against Taiwan over Ms. Pelosi’s visit.
The People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command, on Wednesday, said that it would keep combat-ready patrols in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing also released a white paper on Wednesday saying it would work for peaceful reunification with Taiwan but would not renounce the use of force as a last resort.
China has featured prominently as far as foreign policy goes, in the contest between Ms. Truss and former U. K. Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in their contest for the Prime Minister’s position, with both candidates outlining hawkish policies towards Beijing should they come to power.