Taiwan calls on Britain to support its bid for Pacific trade pact

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks during her meeting with Bob Stewart, British member of parliament (MP) and co-chair of the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group, and other visiting British lawmakers, at the presidential office in Taipei, Taiwan in this handout image released March 20, 2023. Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via REUTERS

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday called on Britain to support its bid to join a major pan-Pacific free trade pact which London has also applied to enter.

Taiwan and China both applied in 2021 to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), but China says it opposes Taiwan - which it claims as its own territory - joining.