04.08.2022, 10:53
Liz Truss Launches Verbal Attack on China as She Defends Nancy Pelosi's 'Right' to Visit Taiwan
Source: OREANDA-NEWS
OREANDA-NEWS UK Foreign Secretary and Tory leadership hopeful Liz Truss has lashed out at China’s response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’ visit to Taiwan, while also calling for a de-escalation amid Beijing’s large-scale military drills in the waters around the island.Hours after Pelosi ended her trip to Taiwan to travel to the next leg of her tour of East Asian countries on Wednesday, Truss expressed support for the House speaker’s decision to visit the island, which is seen by China as a breakaway province.Speaking at the hustings in the city of Cardiff in Wales, the foreign secretary argued that Pelosi was “well within her rights as Speaker of Congress” to visit the Taiwanese capital Taipei earlier this week.
The remarks follow a source in Team Truss reportedly saying late last month that “Liz has almost single-handedly dragged the government into a tougher position on China.”This was preceded by the foreign secretary promising she would launch a “New Commonwealth Deal” to ensure the 56 Commonwealth countries act as a bulwark against China.
The statement came after Truss accused former Chancellor Rishi Sunak – her rival in the current Tory leadership race - of pushing for a closer relationship with China during a live head-on-head TV debate in late July.After Sunak insisted that there was a need to acknowledge that Beijing is a “threat to our [UK] national security, it is a threat to our economic security,” Truss challenged his comments, saying, “as recently as a month ago you were pushing for closer trade relationships with China.”Separately, the foreign secretary argued that the UK government “absolutely should be cracking down” on Chinese-owned companies such as social-media giant TikTok Inc. and limit technology exports to authoritarian regimes.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded by stating that Beijing “regrets” Truss’ “remarks related to China” and “firmly opposes them.”On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi vowed to impose “tough” sanctions in response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, warning that “those who offend China will be punished.”Wang also cautioned that attempts to use Taiwan to contain China's development are doomed to failure, adding, “the United States should not have any illusions about undermining China's development and revival.”The House speaker’s visit to the island has exacerbated even further the already tense relations between China and the West, which is frustrated over what is describes as Beijing’s drive to boost its regional clout.
The remarks follow a source in Team Truss reportedly saying late last month that “Liz has almost single-handedly dragged the government into a tougher position on China.”This was preceded by the foreign secretary promising she would launch a “New Commonwealth Deal” to ensure the 56 Commonwealth countries act as a bulwark against China.
The statement came after Truss accused former Chancellor Rishi Sunak – her rival in the current Tory leadership race - of pushing for a closer relationship with China during a live head-on-head TV debate in late July.After Sunak insisted that there was a need to acknowledge that Beijing is a “threat to our [UK] national security, it is a threat to our economic security,” Truss challenged his comments, saying, “as recently as a month ago you were pushing for closer trade relationships with China.”Separately, the foreign secretary argued that the UK government “absolutely should be cracking down” on Chinese-owned companies such as social-media giant TikTok Inc. and limit technology exports to authoritarian regimes.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded by stating that Beijing “regrets” Truss’ “remarks related to China” and “firmly opposes them.”On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi vowed to impose “tough” sanctions in response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, warning that “those who offend China will be punished.”Wang also cautioned that attempts to use Taiwan to contain China's development are doomed to failure, adding, “the United States should not have any illusions about undermining China's development and revival.”The House speaker’s visit to the island has exacerbated even further the already tense relations between China and the West, which is frustrated over what is describes as Beijing’s drive to boost its regional clout.
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