Britain approved a sharp increase in exports of submarine parts and technology to Taiwan in 2022 which is more than the previous six years combined as the Asian Nation seeks to upgrade its naval forces.
The value of licences granted by the British government to companies for the export of submarine-related components and technology to Taiwan totalled a record 167 million pounds ($201.29 million) during the first nine months of last year, according to UK government export licensing data.
When presented with the figures, China’s foreign ministry said in a statement: “If this is true, it is a serious violation of the one-China principle, undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests, and undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
“China is highly concerned about this and firmly opposes it,” said the written statement, which urged Britain to “refrain from providing military support to the Taiwan authorities.”
Beijing considers Taiwan part of China, known as the One-China policy, and strongly objects to perceived foreign interference with the island believing it to be support for Taiwan’s desire to be recognised as its own country.
Britain does not recognise Taiwan and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island but it maintains economic and trade ties and there is a de facto British embassy in Taipei.
A British government spokesperson said in a statement the UK has a long record of “granting licences for exports of controlled goods to Taiwan, on a case-by-case basis, where those applications are consistent with the rules that regulate the exports of arms and dual-use products.”
“We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion,” the statement added.
The data is from the Export Control Organisation, which is responsible for export licensing and sits within the UK Department for International Trade.
It shows the government authorised 25 export licences to Taiwan during the first nine months of 2022 under the categories “components for submarines” and “technology for submarines.”
The data does not disclose which companies received the authorisation or detail what specific equipment it covers.
Military tensions between Beijing and Taipei are at their highest in decades.
Taiwan, some 100 miles southeast of the Chinese coast, has said it is building a fleet of submarines to build up its naval defences.
Taiwan has for decades been unable to buy conventional submarines from other countries because of concerns about angering China.
