For the first time, an official document from Britain’s Parliament described Taiwan as an “independent country,” crossing a major red line for diplomacy with Beijing.
The phrase is featured in a report from the influential foreign affairs committee under the House of Commons.
“Taiwan is already an independent country, under the name Republic of China,” it reads.
“Taiwan possesses all the qualifications for statehood, including a permanent population, a defined territory, government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states—it is only lacking greater international recognition.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin immediately criticized the document, while a spokesperson for Taiwan’s foreign ministry thanked Parliament for its support.