UK Prepared to Take Action Over Taiwan, Says Defence Secretary

The Defence Secretary has revealed that Britain is primed to engage militarily in the Pacific should a conflict spill over Taiwan.

The remarks were made by John Healey aboard the HMS Prince of Wales. It took place alongside Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, as the vessel arrived in Darwin to take part in joint military exercises with allies, including the United States.

When Mr Healey was asked by The Telegraph what the UK is doing to support countries such as Taiwan to get ready for any potential rise of conflict from China, he made the following statement: “If we have to fight, as we have done in the past, Australia and the UK are nations that will fight together. We exercise together and by exercising together and being more ready to fight, we deter better together.”

His remarks rank among the strongest made by a British official regarding potential involvement in a future conflict in the region.

Mr Healey then further clarified that he was speaking in “general terms”. He emphasised that the UK’s ideal solution is for any conflicts or disputes in the Indo-Pacific to be settled “peacefully” and through “diplomatic” means.

He proceeded to say, “We secure peace through strength, and our strength comes from our allies.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping has not ruled out using force to achieve the “reunification of the motherland.” Beijing insists it holds sovereignty over Taiwan—a claim strongly rejected by the government in Taipei.

Many experts have warned that invading Taiwan could spark a major conflict involving countries all across the globe.

Mr. Healey acknowledged that “threats” are increasing considerably in the Indo-Pacific, where China’s military has occupied disputed reefs and faces accusations of bullying its neighbours.

The HMS Prince of Wales carrier group, accompanied by advanced F-35 fighter jets, has sailed from Singapore to northern Australia for the first time since 1997 and is anticipated to continue on to Japan, likely passing by Taiwan.

The British government has previously avoided stating whether it would intervene in the event of a conflict. However, it is worth pointing out that the Royal Navy maintains two permanent patrol vessels in the region.

Most countries align with the United States’ stance of “strategic ambiguity,” typically avoiding clear statements on whether they would defend Taiwan in the event of a conflict.

Joe Biden, the former US president, broke this usual practice on multiple occasions by stating that the US would support Taiwan in resisting China. In contrast, Donald Trump avoided such explicit statements, though Pentagon officials continue to prepare for a potential conflict.

The current US administration has announced it will review its role in the AUKUS agreement—a trilateral security pact between the US, Australia, and the UK—within the context of the Trump administration’s “America First” policy.

On the issue of Taiwan, Australia has adopted a more cautious stance. Last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declined to say whether Australia would join the US and other allies in opposing China if a conflict were to arise.

Taiwan’s risk of invasion has never been higher, and the United States bears the responsibility.

In its National Security Strategy released earlier this year, the UK government acknowledged that “there is a particular risk of escalation around Taiwan.”

The UK’s former Defence Secretary from 2017 to 2019, Gavin Williamson, remarked that the UK is speaking more clearly as the threat becomes bigger in the Indo-Pacific.

“I think there’s a realisation that by being completely silent, it doesn’t make it more or less likely. Deterrence is about setting out the consequences that will come about as a result of other people’s dangerous or malign actions,” Sir Gavin stated to The Telegraph.

“It’s really important that people like the UK Defence Secretary are being clear about the consequences of actions.”

The deployment of HMS Prince of Wales, the UK’s largest strike carrier group, on a nine-month mission across the Pacific reflects the UK’s recognition of the increasing threat in the region.

The ship’s stop in Darwin, a city in northern Australia, highlights the strong ties between London and Canberra—relationships that would be crucial in any potential future conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

Mr. Healey acknowledged, “As threats are increasing, the partnerships like the UK and Australia matter more than ever.”

This marks the first time in nearly 30 years that a British carrier strike group has visited Australia and the first occasion a non-US carrier has taken part in Australia’s annual military exercises, Talisman Sabre, which were the largest ever held this year.

Over the weekend, the two countries also signed the Geelong Treaty, a new 50-year agreement that solidifies their roles in the AUKUS pact and commits them to developing a new class of nuclear-powered submarines.

The HMS Prince of Wales’s arrival in Darwin is also part of the UK’s push to uphold freedom of navigation through the Taiwan Strait—the narrow waterway between China and Taiwan.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary who was aboard the HMS Prince of Wales earlier that day, has previously stated that the UK intends to carry out more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait.

“We have a direct interest in the international rules, the freedom of the seas, the freedom of navigation and the stability and security in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr. Healey stated.

Last month, the HMS Spey, a Royal Navy patrol vessel, passed through the Taiwan Strait, earning praise from Taiwan and sharp condemnation from China.

The UK typically does not disclose its ships’ future routes, but it is widely believed that the HMS Prince of Wales will pass through the disputed Strait en route to its upcoming stops in South Korea and Japan.

However, despite the UK’s growing focus on the Indo-Pacific region, this does not include increased involvement with Taiwan.

When questioned about the possibility of the UK deepening formal ties with Taiwan, Mr. Healey responded, “There’s no change in the UK’s approach to Taiwan.”

Sir Gavin, who was also asked about engagement with Taiwan during his time in office, said the UK is unlikely to change its stance unless “China becomes ever more and more aggressive.”

A conflict over Taiwan would likely have significant global repercussions, given that the country produces a large share of the world’s most advanced computer chips.