TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's head of government pressed for British backing of the island's application to join a major Pacific trade pact during high-level talks in Taipei on Monday (April 14). Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), who leads Taiwan's executive branch, met with Ruth Bradley-Jones, the top British official at the British Office Taipei (英國在台辦事處), to discuss Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
During the meeting, Premier Cho thanked the British government for its April 3 diplomatic statement expressing concern about China's recent military drills encircling Taiwan. He emphasized that maintaining peace across the narrow 100-mile waterway separating Taiwan from mainland China remains critical to international economic stability. Cho recalled assurances from the previous British envoy, John Dennis, that Royal Navy vessels would continue navigating the Taiwan Strait — freedom of navigation operations that Taiwan views as crucial symbolic support amid growing regional tensions.
The discussions built upon a milestone 2023 agreement when both parties established the Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP), Taiwan's first formal economic framework with any European country. This partnership prioritizes cooperation in digital commerce, energy security, and climate initiatives targeting carbon neutrality. Premier Cho emphasized Taiwan's readiness to join the CPTPP, asserting that the island's economic practices already align with the trade bloc's rigorous Auckland Principles on market openness and transparency.
The British representative acknowledged strengthening bilateral ties, highlighting four key sectors ripe for expanded partnership: digital innovation, renewable energy development, high-tech manufacturing, and financial services. Bradley-Jones characterized the relationship as increasingly strategic, founded on democratic values and mutual economic interests rather than formal diplomatic recognition. She conveyed optimism about deepening cooperation despite the complex geopolitical balancing act Britain maintains regarding cross-strait relations. ★