China considers Taiwan part of its territory and believes it should be brought under its control by force if necessary. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy in London criticised former British Prime Minister Liz Truss's visit to Taiwan.
Truss is the most famous British politician to visit Taiwan since former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited in the nineties. Her trip comes as British-Chinese relations are going through their worst period in decades, according to the Reuters news agency. The Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Tan said what he described as the recent increase in relations between the U.S. and Taiwanese militaries was a very dangerous and wrong step.