Former British PM Boris Johnson: Taiwan Is Inappropriately Intimidated By China

JAKARTA - Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Taiwan was inappropriate to be intimidated by China and urged the West to establish economic and political relations with Taipei in the face of Beijing's campaign against the democratic island.

Johnson is the former third British prime minister to visit Taiwan, after Liz Truss in 2023 and Margaret Thatcher in the 1990s. His visit comes at a time when Britain and China are working to further stabilize relations as Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit Beijing later this year.

Britain, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but both governments have a close economic and cultural exchange.

In recent years, Beijing has stepped up a campaign of military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan, including daily military activity near the island, to assert the territorial claims the Taipei government denies.

"In these very difficult and intense times, it is time for all Western countries to build economic and political relations with Taiwan, not to stay away from Taiwan under pressure from other countries," Johnson told Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te at the presidential office in Taipei. Tuesday, August 5th.

"There is absolutely no reason for China's intimidation of Taiwan at this time. This is a free and peaceful society. They do not deserve to be intimidated in this way. There is no point and I hope this is stopped as soon as possible," Johnson continued in a video recording made by Lai's office.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Beijing has previously criticized the UK lawmaker's visit to Taiwan for what it calls interference in China's internal affairs.

Johnson was invited to deliver a speech at the security forum by Taipei-based think tank Prospect Foundation, which Lai also attended.

In the forum, Lai pledged to build a "democratic supply chain" with allies by deepening economic cooperation and said he would increase Taiwan's defense budget by more than 3% of its GDP next year.

"I believe that if democracies can join hands in creating a stronger and more resilient global democratic supply chain, we can spur greater economic prosperity and further strengthen our democracy," Lai said.

British Royal Navy patrol boats sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait in June.