A delegation of British lawmakers visiting Taiwan has said it does not stand alone and it was entirely right for democracies to engage in dialogues.
The delegation, led by MP Alicia Kearns, met Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen on Friday amid growing regional tensions.
They arrived in Taiwan earlier Tuesday for a five-day visit, in what has been the first visit of a British parliamentary committee to Taiwan since 2006.
Kearns said that Taiwan has flourished from a fledgling democracy to "one of the strongest democracies in the world" as the world saw a slide toward authoritarianism in the last two decades and that it is entirely right for democracies to engage in parliamentary dialogue.
"We enjoy a more global outlook and we recognize and salute our valued partners across the Indo-Pacific," Kearns told Tsai, as she urged allies to stand together and welcome Taiwan's participation in more multinational bodies.
"Taiwan has friends. And Taiwan does not stand alone," Kearns also said during a news conference when asked about how Britain would react if China attacked Taiwan, stressing that the goal of Britain's support for Taiwan is to prevent conflicts.
Tsai thanked the visiting British legislators for "supporting Taiwan through actions" amid regional tensions.
"Democratic countries must stand more united than ever in the face of authoritarian expansion," Tsai told the visiting delegation.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in the U.K. on Wednesday called the visit a "flagrant violation" of its one-China principle.
Beijing rejects official contacts between countries and Taiwan as it regards the democratic island republic as part of China. Tensions have intensified in recent months.
