Taiwan FM gives medal of friendship to outgoing U.K. envoy

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Friday awarded outgoing United Kingdom representative to Taiwan John Dennis a medal in recognition of his efforts at promoting closer Taiwan-U.K. relations during his four-year tenure.

In a Facebook post Monday, Lin said he conferred the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy upon Dennis, who has headed the British Office Taipei since December 2020, for his contributions in enhancing Taiwan-U.K. ties. British Office Taipei represents U.K. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official ties.

During Dennis' four-year tenure, Taipei and London signed the U.K.-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) Arrangement in November 2023. Last May, both sides also sealed a UK-Taiwan Organics Equivalence memorandum of understanding, according to the minister.

As the U.K. is now an official member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a regional trade bloc that Taiwan wants to join, the minister also called on the U.K. to support Taipei's accession bid in the Facebook post.

During a farewell press event on Jan. 9, Dennis himself also focused on the signing of the ETP as "a major highlight... of my four-year posting in Taiwan."

The ETP was signed to establish a bilateral cooperation framework in three major areas -- investment, energy and net-zero emissions, and digital trade, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

The deal is expected to strengthen global economic security and supply chain resilience and help maintain the free and open international trade order, MOFA said back then.

Dennis also said during the Jan. 9 press event that his tenure in Taipei will conclude in February and he plans to retire in the spring after more than 40 years with U.K. foreign service.

Dennis announced that his successor will be Ruth Bradley-Jones, who most recently served as U.K. deputy head of mission to Myanmar.