‘Taiwan possesses all the qualifications for statehood,’ a parliamentary committee report says.

The British parliament has for the first time referred to Taiwan as an “independent country” in an official document, breaking a political taboo as Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visits China this week.

The new language, adopted in a report published Wednesday by the influential foreign affairs committee of the House of Commons, risks a stinging backlash from Beijing and comes as Cleverly becomes the first top British envoy to visit Beijing in five years amid a frosty relationship.

Beijing has long denied Taiwan’s statehood, insisting the self-governing democratic island is part of its territory. Only 13 countries around the world recognize Taipei instead of Beijing diplomatically.

  • Womble@lemmy.worldEnglish
    112·
    1 year ago

    Unironically yes? They would have been conquered and subjugated to a hostile imperialist power if not.

    • LarkinDePark@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
      022·
      1 year ago

      If America didn’t conquer and subjugate Ukraine then America wouldn’t have conquered and subjugate Ukraine. Tautology is tautological.

      • Womble@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        1 year ago

        I know it might not be obvious to you, but the only imperialist power invading Ukraine is Russia.

        I know you think papa Vlad is going to bring back the Soviet Union and overthrow the capitalist pigs, but he isn’t. He wants to bring back the Russian empire of serfs. You know, the one the original Bolshevik revolution was against and that even Marx thought capitalism was in improvement upon.

        • LarkinDePark@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
          24·
          1 year ago

          Russia is not an imperialist power, this is just some propaganda you were fed to try to paper over the hilariously bad idea of an “unprovoked” invasion.

          Agreed on the rest, he wouldn’t mind at all if Russia became an empire of slaves like the USA.

          • Womble@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 year ago

            and what, pray tell, was the casus belli for this legitimate invasion of a neighbours territory?

            I hope youre not just going to say Russian security concerns, because you wouldnt be hypocritical and say thats fine and the bay of pigs wasnt fine for American security concerns now would you?

            • LarkinDePark@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
              24·
              1 year ago

              and what, pray tell, was the casus belli for this legitimate invasion of a neighbours territory?

              National security, duh? Why are you pretending not to know this obvious fact?

              because you wouldnt be hypocritical and say thats fine and the bay of pigs wasnt fine for American security concerns now would you?

              Well of course not. The BoP invasion had nothing to do with American security concerns.