Team of UK lawmakers visits Taiwan amid strained China ties

LONDON (AP) — A group of British lawmakers is in Taiwan and scheduled to meet with President Tsai Ing-Wen and other politicians after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared that the “golden era” of U.K.-China relations was over. The visit by members of Parliament’s foreign affairs committee started on Tuesday, a day after Sunak described China as a growing “systemic challenge” to Britain. The parliamentary committee’s chairwoman, Conservative lawmaker Alicia Kearns, said Taiwan’s voice is “unique and invaluable” within the Indo-Pacific region. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory. In August, a visit to the self-ruled island by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prompted Beijing to suspend climate change talks with Washington.