China has threatened to cut diplomatic ties with Britain unless Keir Starmer supports its ownership of Taiwan.
Beijing‘s ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang, said that the ‘key to ensuring the sound and steady development of UK-China relations’ depended on Britain accepting that ‘Taiwan has never been a country’ and that Taiwan ‘belongs to China’.
Zeguang said that Britain made an ‘unequivocal commitment’ to defend China’s ownership of Taiwan when relations were established with the People’s Republic of China in 1972, and stressed that the deal must not be forgotten.
Britain has long acknowledged China’s claim on Taiwan without endorsing it.
Beijing considers Taiwan — a democracy of 23 million people that has been governed separately from China since 1949 — to be a breakaway province, and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
China puts military pressure on Taiwan by sending warships and aircraft near the island almost daily.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party reject Beijing’s assertions and maintain that Taiwan is a sovereign country whose future should be decided by its people.
China has threatened to cut diplomatic ties with Britain unless Keir Starmer supports its ownership of Taiwan
China has renewed threats that it would take over self-ruled Taiwan. Pictured: Formation of the People’s Armed Police Force marches through Tian’anmen Square during V-Day military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War on September 3, 2025 in Beijing, China
‘We hope that the UK government will honour the solemn commitments it made in 1972…and handle Taiwan related issues prudently’, Zeguang told The Telegraph.
In response to Zeguang’s comments, former security minister Tom Tugendhat said: ‘Beijing’s attempts to distort international law, including claims that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 confers dominion over Taiwan, should be resisted. These are rightly matters for the Taiwanese people to determine. Using economic coercing to force others to submit does not make it legal’.
The ambassador’s remarks come at a time of increased tension with Beijing over the Chinese spy scandal and calls to halt the construction of China’s embassy in London over fears that it could be used to access sensitive information.
Last month, China’s defence minister renewed threats that his country would take over self-ruled Taiwan as he opened a security forum in Beijing.
The ‘restoration’ of Taiwan to China ‘is an integral part of the post-war international order,’ Dong Jun told an audience of international military officials attending the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, an annual event where China aims to project regional leadership and boost military cooperation.
Dong said China would ‘never allow any separatist attempts for Taiwan independence to succeed’ and that it is ready to thwart ‘any external military interference.’
‘The Chinese military stands ready to work with all parties to serve as a force for global peace, stability and progress,’ he said.
While not mentioning the US by name, Dong chided ‘behaviours such as external military interference, seeking spheres of influence and coercing others into taking sides.’ He called those a means to ‘plunge the international community into chaos and conflict.’
Pictured: China’s ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang in 2019
The security forum comes after Beijing last month held a massive military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
China’s army, the world’s largest, showcased its advanced weaponry at the parade, including Chinese-made hypersonic missiles and tanks.
Dong stressed the importance of upholding the ‘UN-centred international system’ as a framework for global peace and stability.
‘We must defend the post-war order,’ he said. ‘We do not intend to overturn the existing order or to create a new one. Rather the goal is to reinforce the cornerstone and pillars of the system.’
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China threatens Sir Keir Starmer with breakdown in diplomatic links unless Britain backs Beijing over owning Taiwan