Outgoing U.K. envoy to Taiwan highlights trade deal as major tenure highlight

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) Outgoing United Kingdom representative to Taiwan, John Dennis, said Thursday that he saw the signing of a trade pact between the two sides as a key highlight of his four-year tenure in Taipei.

Speaking to reporters during a farewell press event, Dennis, who heads the British Office in Taipei, said in his address that the signing of the U.K.-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) Arrangement is a "major highlight... of my four-year posting in Taiwan."

"I look forward to the future signing of the individual priority pillars we identified: digital trade, investment, renewable energy and net zero," he added.

The ETP was signed in a videoconference on Nov. 8, 2023, establishing a bilateral cooperation framework for three major areas -- investment, energy and net-zero emissions, and digital trade.

The framework, signed by then-Taiwan representative to the U.K. Kelly Hsieh (謝武樵) in London and Dennis in Taipei, is expected to strengthen global economic security and supply chain resilience and help maintain a free and open international trade order, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

MOFA has also previously said that the two sides are expected to sign separate agreements on each area, but did not give a timeline.

Meanwhile, in Thursday's address, Dennis, who assumed the post in December 2020, said his tenure has been an "incredible journey of change, challenge and opportunity," for himself, his country and Taiwan.

"We navigated the COVID pandemic together. We celebrated Taiwan's valuable contributions to global issues from health to supply chains, and we forged new U.K.-Taiwan cooperation on these issues and more. We also faced increasing pressure across the Taiwan Strait, undermining regional peace and stability," he said.

Despite these challenges, the U.K.'s longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed, and the "unofficial but vibrant UK-Taiwan relationship continues to be underpinned by our shared values of democracy and freedom, respect and tolerance," he added.

He said he had been happy to witness bilateral trade increasing from 7.3 billion pounds (US$ 8.9 billion) in 2020 to 8.3 billion pounds in 2023 -- a 13.7 percent rise.

This means the U.K. is Taiwan's 3rd largest trading partner in Europe, after Germany and the Netherlands. Taiwan is the U.K.'s 5th largest trade partner in the Asia-Pacific region, the envoy said.

The U.K. has also been working closely with Taiwan to help it reach its net-zero emissions target in 2050. More than 100 British businesses have helped to establish and grow Taiwan's offshore wind development over the last four years.

Dennis said his tenure in Taiwan will conclude next month and he will retire from the U.K. foreign service after more than 40 years in the spring.

He announced that his successor will be Ruth Bradley-Jones, praising her as a "highly able and immensely well-qualified leader."

"I'm utterly confident that under her guidance, and with the continued engagement of our treasured Taiwanese partners, we'll see yet further exciting chapters in U.K.-Taiwan relations," he concluded.

According to information on the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) website, Bradley-Jones has been the U.K.'s Deputy Head of Mission to Myanmar since March 2021.

Before the Myanmar post, she served as Deputy Head of the FCDO's North East Asia and Pacific Department, leading work on the Korean Peninsula and Japan.