TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) pressed for British support of Taiwan's application to join a major Pacific trade pact during high-level talks with a visiting U.K. trade official on Monday (June 30). In his meeting with British Minister of State for Trade Policy Douglas Alexander, Taiwan's leader made a direct appeal for backing Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), an 11-nation trade bloc that represents roughly 13.5 percent of global GDP. President Lai underscored the increasingly robust bilateral relationship, pointing to flourishing partnerships in renewable energy development, technological innovation, and educational exchanges.
During the discussions, President Lai highlighted the economic importance of the relationship, noting that Britain stands as Taiwan's fourth-largest European trading partner and second-largest source of foreign investment on the continent. The Taiwanese president pointed to the milestone "Enhanced Trade Partnership Agreement" signed in 2023, which established Taiwan's first formalized economic framework with a European nation. Beyond commercial ties, Lai expressed appreciation for London's consistent diplomatic backing regarding regional security issues, specifically mentioning British opposition to any unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait as articulated in the U.K.'s strategic defense and national security documents.
The Taiwanese leader also referenced a significant diplomatic development from November 2024, when Britain's House of Commons, the lower house of the U.K. Parliament, passed a motion favorable to Taiwan's international standing. The parliamentary action explicitly stated that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 — a document frequently cited by Beijing — does not establish Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan. In response, Minister Alexander disclosed that three specific cooperation agreements had already been signed under the Enhanced Trade Partnership framework, creating structured pathways for expanded collaboration and improved bilateral market access for businesses from both economies.
The British trade minister identified promising synergies between President Lai's signature economic policy — the "Five Trusted Industry Sectors" (五大信賴產業) initiative — and Britain's own industrial strategy. Alexander highlighted particular compatibility in priority sectors including clean energy technologies, semiconductor development, and advanced manufacturing capabilities. The minister conveyed enthusiasm for expanding bilateral economic ties, positioning the United Kingdom as an attractive investment destination for Taiwanese capital at a time when the island's businesses are increasingly pursuing diversification of their global partnerships and investment portfolios amid regional geopolitical uncertainties. ◼