Sources said the trip – originally planned for early this year but postponed after a member of the delegation tested positive for Covid – was intended to show Britain’s support for the democratically-ruled island, which China considers hers. It comes as London’s relationship with Beijing continues to deteriorate. Last week, Conservative leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak set out their hardline positions on China. And China’s ambassador to the UK accused some British politicians of “peddling the fallacy of the so-called Chinese threat” in a video remark. Tensions have risen across the Taiwan Strait in recent weeks following reports of a possible trip to Taipei by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing has repeatedly warned against such a move and has threatened to take “decisive action” if the trip goes ahead. Pelosi is now on a trip to Asia, where she has scheduled stops in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. On Saturday, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted “live-fire drills” near Pingtan Island, off Fujian province, according to the official Xinhua news agency. China’s maritime security administration has warned ships to avoid the area. The exercises were also held ahead of the PLA’s founding anniversary on August 1. In their fifth phone call last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Joe Biden not to “play with fire” over Taiwan. On Monday, China’s spokesman said its military “would not sit idly by” if Pelosi went ahead with the Taiwan trip. Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the foreign affairs committee, is expected to lead the delegation to Taiwan later this year. But as he extended his support to Truss at the weekend, there was speculation he may be given a cabinet post in her administration if she wins the race in September. But even if that happens, a source said, the trip would continue “whoever gets the next chair.” It is unclear whether the British delegation will meet Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen. Details of the trip are being hammered out, including the dates of the visit, sources said. In the past, Taiwan’s leader has personally welcomed delegations from the European Parliament and members of the US and Czech Senates. The move is yet another sign that London is strengthening its ties with Taiwan, as it now sees China as a long-term threat to the UK. Officially, Britain continues to adhere to the “one China policy”, which recognizes Beijing as the sole legitimate government of China, but maintains ties with Taiwan on an unofficial level. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST Truss, the secretary of state, has in recent months urged Western countries to ensure that Taiwan can be protected from China. In June, she remarked in an interview that the UK should provide arms to Taiwan – a comment that surprised some of her fellow MPs and colleagues, the Guardian understands. Taipei’s representative office in London declined to comment on details of the potential visit when approached by the Guardian, but said Taiwan “welcomes any opportunity to strengthen relations with Britain, including through visits from the UK”. The foreign affairs committee said it “had a long-standing intention to visit Taiwan as part of its inquiry into the Indo-Pacific tilt”. However, he declined to comment on the details of the visit “due to security concerns and in line with standard practice”.
