Ex-U.K. prime minister voices support for Taiwan, urges deeper ties

Taipei, Aug. 5 (CNA) Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has voiced support for Taiwan during a speech in Taipei, urging the United Kingdom and other Western democracies to deepen economic ties with the island in the face of growing pressure from Beijing.

Speaking at the annual Ketagalan Forum, Johnson described Taiwan's technological prowess as a "miracle" built on a free and democratic society, as well as respect for the rule of law and intellectual property.

"There is a zing and an energy and an optimism here because this is a free country," said Johnson, who served as prime minister from July 2019 to September 2022 for the Conservative government but is no longer a member of Parliament and was speaking as a private citizen at the security talks.

The protections of the law and personal freedom give people "tremendous confidence to invest, to take commercial risks that they might not otherwise take, and therefore to innovate," he said.

"And I think that is why Taiwan leads the world in what is currently the most important technology," he said, adding that Taiwan's production of advanced semiconductors was "vital" to the world.

He said while most Taiwanese simply wished to preserve the status quo, Beijing had engaged in "intimidating and aggressive measures" against the island, including intensified military activities, calling it an effort "to bully Taiwan into submission."

● Taiwan's pledge to raise defense spending 'essential': Boris Johnson

Johnson said Western countries must not be "cowed by our desire to be deferential to Beijing" and should instead expand their economic partnerships with Taipei, particularly when Taiwan is facing growing pressure from China.

He called for support for Taiwan, noting that "no one wants the chaos, confusion and uncertainty that would follow a change in the balance of the power [in the region] ... No one wants war, and certainly no one wants Chinese domination of the first island chain."

According to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Johnson is visiting Taiwan for the first time on Monday and Tuesday and is scheduled to meet with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

During Johnson's time in office, the Tory government did not adopt an overtly strong public stance in support of Taiwan, instead aligning with the broader Western approach: supporting Taiwan's self-governance in practice without offering diplomatic recognition or directly provoking China.

After stepping down as prime minister, Johnson remained a member of Parliament until June 2023. He is now a political commentator and a columnist for the Daily Mail.

Speaking ahead of the former prime minister at the security forum organized by MOFA, Lai also called for greater economic cooperation among democracies in his opening remarks.

"A nation's strength and its democratic footing are grounded firmly in its economy ... If democracies can join hands in creating more robust, more resilient global democratic supply chains, we can spur even more economic prosperity and further consolidate our democracy," he said.

At the same time, Lai reiterated his government's efforts to build up the country's civil defense and invest more in defense capabilities, pledging that Taiwan's military spending next year "will reach a target of over 3 percent of GDP."

The president made a similar pledge in February, saying his government would seek to raise the year's defense budget from around 2.45 percent of GDP to 3 percent by introducing a special appropriation.

That plan has yet to materialize, however.