Former U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss is visiting Taiwan for five days to meet with several senior officials. Truss is set to arrive on Tuesday night, making her the first former U.K. prime minister to visit Taiwan in 27 years, after Margaret Thatcher’s second trip in 1996.
Truss will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) during this week.
The Foreign Ministry says Truss is a “longtime friend” who has supported Taiwan and advocated for peace in the cross-strait region. It adds that the United Kingdom frequently spoke up to other G7 countries about the importance of stability in the Taiwan Strait when Truss was secretary of state.
The ministry says Truss has talked about ensuring that democracies like Taiwan are equipped for self-defense. She also spoke at the NATO summit last June to say Taiwan’s safety is linked to both military and economic security.