UK voices concern over China’s pressure and interference in business sector

“UK companies should not be placed under political pressures to make changes”; “The Government refers to Taiwan as simply ‘Taiwan’”, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Rt Hon Mark Field MP stated on 10 July, responding to MP’s questions regarding China’s pressuring British Airways and other airlines to use its nomenclature for Taiwan and interference in the free operation of international business. Minister Field also stressed that FCO officials have registered their concern with the Chinese Government on this point.

The questions were posed by Andrea Jenkyns MP, Vice-Chair of the British Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), and 1922 Committee Chairman for Foreign Affairs and fellow APPG member Bob Blackman MP. The questions focused on the implications for the FCO’s policies of Chinese pressure and interference, the steps taken by the government to join the UK’s allies in countering this behaviour and whether the Secretary of State for the FCO will tackle these issues.