China Threatens to Cancel UK Trade Talks Following Visit to Taiwan, Dialogue Resumes Amid Tensions
China threatened to cancel the UK's first trade and economic dialogue (Jetco) in seven years after UK trade minister Douglas Alexander visited Taipei on June 29–30, 2025. During his visit, Alexander met Taiwan's president Lai Ching-te and minister Cynthia Kiang and pledged to boost trade in key sectors. Despite China's threat, Jetco talks proceeded in September 2025 after diplomats worked privately to contain Beijing's fallout.
The Jetco talks marked their first meeting since 2018, following a hiatus linked to diplomatic strains caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Newly appointed business and trade secretary Peter Kyle attended the early September 2025 talks. UK-Taiwan bilateral trade was worth £9.3 billion in the previous year. The UK does not officially recognize Taiwan as a country but maintains an unofficial relationship with ministerial talks since 1991.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and remains highly sensitive to other countries' engagements with Taiwan. A UK government spokesperson stated that Alexander's visit was within the longstanding bounds of the UK-Taiwan relationship and emphasized that trade engagement remains in the UK’s national interest.
