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Written Question
Airports: Taiwan
Wednesday 20th March 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Taiwan on the use of e-gates for Taiwanese nationals at UK airports.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

Whilst we regularly review eGate eligibility for different passport holders, we operate the UK border, including eGate eligibility, solely in the UK interest, recognising the need to balance both passenger flow and border security.

The Government has set out an ambitious vision to create an effective and secure border system. As part of this vision, we intend to investigate options to increase the use of automation and eGates by those passport holders currently ineligible to use them.


Written Question
China: Foreign Relations
Monday 4th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the People's Republic of China, including in discussions between the Foreign Secretary and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference, regarding that country's behaviour towards Taiwan, including its adjustment of flight routes in the Taiwan Strait.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' and Leaders' communiques.

The UK's longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.

The UK has regular discussions within International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the importance of communication and coordination in the protection of air safety, especially when it comes to changes to airspace such as this.


Written Question
Taiwan Strait: Air Routes
Wednesday 21st February 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on aviation safety and regional stability of the decision on 30 January of the Civil Aviation Administration of China to adjust the M503, W122 and W123 flight routes near the Taiwan Strait median line.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has regular discussions within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the importance of communication and coordination in the protection of air safety, especially when it comes to changes to airspace such as this.

We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' and Leaders' communiques.

The UK's longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.


Written Question
Taiwan Strait: Air Routes
Monday 19th February 2024

Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with the International Civil Aviation Organisation on changes to the M503, W122 and W123 flight paths in the Taiwan Strait.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has regular discussions within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the importance of communication and coordination in the protection of air safety, especially when it comes to changes to airspace such as this.

We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' and Leaders' communiques.

The UK's longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.


Written Question
Taiwan: Air Routes
Monday 19th February 2024

Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the recent changes to the M503, W122, and W123 flight paths around Taiwan.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has regular discussions within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the importance of communication and coordination in the protection of air safety, especially when it comes to changes to airspace such as this.

We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' and Leaders' communiques.

The UK's longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.


Written Question
Taiwan Strait: Air Routes
Monday 19th February 2024

Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in China on changes to the M503, W122 and W123 flight paths around Taiwan Strait.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has regular discussions within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the importance of communication and coordination in the protection of air safety, especially when it comes to changes to airspace such as this.

We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' and Leaders' communiques.

The UK's longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.


Written Question
Taiwan: Foreign Relations
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to strengthen bilateral relations with Taiwan, including UK ministerial meetings with the President-elect, William Lai Ching-te.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, and underpinned by shared democratic values. This relationship delivers significant benefits to both the UK and Taiwan and has featured a wide range of exchanges and visits, for example on trade, health and educational issues.


Written Question
Taiwan: Investment
Wednesday 7th February 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled UK and Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership arrangement, published on 14 November 2023, whether she plans to negotiate a bilateral investment treaty with Taiwan.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK’s longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed: the UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship based on dynamic commercial, educational and cultural ties.

The Department for Business and Trade is currently working on an Enhanced Trade Partnership with Taiwan; currently there are no plans to negotiate a bilateral investment treaty with Taiwan.


Written Question
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: China
Wednesday 7th February 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Foreign Secretary intends to visit China; and if so, (1) what assessment they have made of the achievements of the previous visit by a Foreign Secretary in August 2023, and (2) whether he will raise (a) the government of China’s treatment of the Uyghurs, (b) the erosion of democracy and imprisonment of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, (c) the sanctioning of UK parliamentarians by the government of Hong Kong, and (d) the government of China’s threats against Taiwan.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We consistently raise China's human rights violations, sanctions against UK parliamentarians and our objection to the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong with the Chinese authorities; most recently the Foreign Secretary did so with Wang Yi during their call on 5 December. On 17 December, the Foreign Secretary also called for the repeal of the National Security Law and an end to the prosecution of all individuals under it. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. For future Ministerial visits - human rights remain a key component of our advocacy.


Written Question
Taiwan: Health Insurance
Tuesday 6th February 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the memorandum of understanding between the UK and Taiwan signed on 10 July 2023, what progress has been made to further cooperation on reciprocal health insurance agreements.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

A UK-Taiwan Healthcare Dialogue was held in July 2023, where reciprocal healthcare was discussed. We are awaiting further views from Taiwanese officials, who are consulting internally on the issue.