New British PM Burnham’s Taiwan Policy Remains Unclear After One Month
By James Lin/Amelia Loi
One month since Andy Burnham took office as British prime minister, his foreign policy remains unclear, including his approach to Taiwan and China. While Burnham has focused on Britain’s domestic challenges, his government has yet to set out a clear Taiwan policy. At the same time, questions have emerged over his advisers, including Jim O’Neill and National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, whose past engagement with China has drawn attention. Burnham’s own record of advocating stronger economic ties with China has also come under discussion. As London weighs trade, national security and tensions in the Taiwan Strait, decisions on contentious issues involving China could provide an early test of the new government’s approach to Beijing.
NEW BRITISH PM’S FOREIGN POLICY
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Burnham’s stance on Taiwan unclear after one month
Andy Burnham (BRITISH PRIME MINISTER):
Let us make this the moment when Britain starts to believe again, the moment we bring back hope. Thank you very much, everybody.
REPORTER:
In the month since Andy Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as the UK’s prime minister, his main focus has been on the domestic economic challenges an expectant public hope he can solve.
On matters further afield, his policy toward Taiwan remains unclear but that has not come as a surprise to most UK foreign policy watchers.
Chung Ching Kwong (SENIOR ANALYST, INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ALLIANCE ON CHINA):
It is clear that his priorities is trying to improve the economic situation in the UK and regarding Taiwan, we haven't seen any like, kind of express of intention when it comes to Taiwan policy, but I don't think it would be too different from what is the Keir Starmer's line on Taiwan, which is they'll try to avoid it. They would not want to provoke China, per se. And I think this broadly fits our expectations when we know that Andy Burnham is coming into power.
REPORTER:
Burnham’s choice of advisers, however, has raised questions over how he may approach relations with China.
One of his economic advisers, Jim O’Neill, has long advocated stronger UK-China trade ties. He coined the term “BRIC” in the early 2000s, when he urged the West to engage with a rapidly emerging China. He was also closely involved in shaping the so-called golden era of UK-China relations under the previous Conservative government.
REPORTER:
O’Neill recently returned to the headlines after reports that he co-founded a new think tank last month with a former senior director at China’s state news agency, Xinhua.
REPORTER:
O’Neill is not the only Burnham adviser facing scrutiny over alleged “China links.” National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell has also faced questions over his extensive engagement with Chinese officials and China-linked organizations.
REPORTER:
Last year, UK prosecutors dropped charges against two men accused of spying for China. It was suggested that Powell, who was serving as national security adviser at the time, played a key role in undermining the prosecution.
Although Downing Street denied any involvement in the collapse of the case, it still raised concerns over national security.
Chung Ching Kwong (SENIOR ANALYST, INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ALLIANCE ON CHINA):
These two individuals, they have, like strong Chinese links, have been exposed to united front work activities knowingly or unknowingly.
They will be more inclined to facilitate agendas that are more in China's interests and that will reduce the friction they encounter in the geopolitical scene.
REPORTER:
Burnham himself also promoted stronger economic ties with China in his former role as mayor of Manchester. This has led some observers to expect him to continue his predecessor Keir Starmer’s approach of deepening trade ties with China.
But one expert we spoke to urged UK policymakers to stand firm on certain principles and push back against Beijing, including issues concerning the Taiwan Strait.
Andrew Yeh (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHINA STRATEGIC RISKS INSTITUTE):
So yes, the UK can and will pursue more trade opportunities with China, but at the same time, upholding the status quo in the Taiwan Strait has to be a top priority because that is the basis of the UK's economic engagement with the region, and it's also the basis of stability and prosperity globally. So any change to that as China is trying to do at the moment should be taken very seriously by the UK government and should be responded to asserting the UK's interests in the status quo.
REPORTER:
There are significant challenges ahead for the new prime minister in managing the UK-China relationship, including the controversial Chinese “super embassy” project in London and Chinese firm Ming Yang’s blocked plan to build the UK's largest wind turbine factory.
Both could be early tests of how Burnham balances his push for economic engagement with China against national security concerns.
