Liz Truss to visit Taiwan and give speech that could upset UK’s China strategy

Liz Truss has set out her belief that western democracies should toughen their stance on Beijing. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA Media

Liz Truss is to visit Taiwan next week, where she will deliver a speech likely to anger Beijing and potentially upset the UK government’s careful approach to China relations.

The former prime minister said on Tuesday: “Taiwan is a beacon of freedom and democracy. I’m looking forward to showing solidarity with the Taiwanese people in person in the face of increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from the regime in Beijing.”