British Security Minister breaks with convention to meet Taiwan Digital Minister in London: Sources

LONDON – British Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat met Taiwan’s Digital Minister in London on Wednesday, people with knowledge of the talks said, a meeting that breaks with conventional British foreign policy and risks infuriating the Chinese government.

Britain has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, but maintains a de facto embassy in Taipei.

Although junior British ministers hold talks with their Taiwanese counterparts, the convention was that senior British ministers do not meet Taiwanese officials.

One source said the meeting with Digital Minister Audrey Tang was about mutual security interests.

China considers democratically self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and fiercely objects to perceived foreign interference with the island.

Mr Tugendhat, who was sanctioned by China two years ago for speaking out about alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, is not a full Cabinet minister but attends Cabinet meetings in his role as security minister, where he is responsible for countering terrorism, domestic state threats and economic crime.

Mr Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group made up of lawmakers from democratic countries concerned about Beijing’s behaviour, said that to his knowledge, it was the first time a British minister who attends Cabinet meetings had met a Taiwan minister.

“This is extremely welcome and sends the right message,” he added.

“The Security Minister should be congratulated for facing down pressure from other departments and setting a new precedent, which all ministers can now follow.”

The sensitivity of the meeting was borne out by the reluctance of several serving officials and departments to talk to Reuters about what was discussed.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: “We do not routinely comment on private ministerial meetings.”

Ms Tang’s office declined to comment.

Ms Tang on Thursday posted a picture on Twitter of her reading The New Technology State: How Our Digital Dreams Became Societal Nightmares – And What We Can Do About It, a soon-to-be-published book whose author, Mr Bill Raduchel, says it evolved from conversations with Mr Tugendhat in 2019.

“Learning from @TomTugendhat delivers dividends,” she said in the tweet. “Let’s #FreeTheFuture – together.”

Ms Tang

was on a rare high-level ministerial trip to Britain

last week. Her office said she was expected to visit government departments and meet a company specialising in low-earth orbit satellites.

The last Taiwan minister known to have visited Britain was the island’s top trade negotiator, Mr John Deng, who travelled there last June.

In November 2022, Britain’s then junior trade minister, Mr Greg Hands, went to Taiwan and met President Tsai Ing-wen.

China denounced the trip,

as it does all such interactions. REUTERS