GlobalWide News
Politico: Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has been revealed to have secretly urged the British government to speed up the sale of defense equipment to China. This information, disclosed in documents obtained by POLITICO, is surprising given Truss’s public stance as a prominent critic of China. In August 2023, Truss wrote to Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, whom she had appointed during her brief tenure as Prime Minister, advocating on behalf of Richmond Defence Systems. This UK-based defense firm in her Norfolk constituency had been barred by UK security officials from exporting landmine disposal equipment to China due to concerns over its potential military use, particularly in relation to Taiwan.
Truss’s letter emphasized the economic impact of not selling the equipment to China, suggesting the Chinese might replicate the technology themselves if the sale were denied. Her stance contrasts sharply with her previous public pronouncements, including a call for Taiwan to be armed against China and labeling China as a national security threat.
The revelations have sparked controversy, with experts and senior Tory MPs criticizing Truss’s actions as potentially harmful to Taiwan and the UK’s national interests. The sale of such equipment to China is seen as risky, given the potential for use in an invasion of Taiwan and the broader implications for regional stability. The case is still under review following Truss’ intervention, and Richmond Defence Systems has not commented on the situation. The disclosure of this private lobbying raises questions about the complexities of political stances versus constituency responsibilities and the broader implications for national and international security.
The entire article can be read at the link https://www.politico.eu/article/liz-truss-lobby-ministers-defense-exports-china/
