UK and Taiwan deepen trade and technology cooperation
The UK and Taiwan have held the 28th annual UK-Taiwan Trade Talks in London, alongside the launch of a new Science, Innovation and Technology Arrangement and engagement with a Taiwanese business delegation.
28th annual UK-Taiwan Trade Talks
The Trade Talks were co-chaired by Minister for Trade Lord Sarwar and Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Cynthia Kiang. The UK and Taiwan discussed opportunities to strengthen trade and investment ties, deepen cooperation on digital trade and clean energy, and support collaboration in advanced manufacturing and resilient supply chains.
The UK and Taiwan have held annual Trade Talks since 1991, providing a regular opportunity to discuss trade and economic issues and strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Taiwan is the UK’s sixth-largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region, with total bilateral trade reaching £8.9 billion in 2025.
Minister for Trade Lord Sarwar said:
“The UK and Taiwan share a strong trading relationship that is delivering growth, jobs and investment for both economies.
“Today’s trade talks have helped identify new opportunities in digital trade, clean energy and advanced manufacturing to support our industrial ambitions and drive growth in every postcode.”
Ministers also met representatives from UK and Taiwanese businesses to discuss opportunities to expand trade and investment between the two economies. These discussions took place alongside a wider programme of engagement undertaken by Taiwanese businesses visiting the UK to strengthen commercial partnerships and explore investment opportunities.
Alongside the Trade Talks, Ruth Bradley-Jones, British Representative, Taipei and Vincent Yao, Taipei Representative, London signed a Memorandum of Understanding between UK Export Finance and Taiwan EximBank to strengthen cooperation on export credit opportunities.
UK-Taiwan Science, Innovation and Technology Arrangement
The two representatives also signed the UK-Taiwan Science, Innovation and Technology Arrangement, witnessed by the UK’s National Technology Adviser, Dr Dave Smith, and Deputy Minister Bing-Yu Chen of Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).
Dr Dave Smith, the UK’s National Technology Adviser, said:
“The UK and Taiwan are natural partners in emerging technologies - from semiconductors and photonics to space and next-generation communications.
Our strengths are genuinely complementary: world-leading UK research, design and innovation alongside Taiwan’s unrivalled capability in advanced manufacturing and hardware. This Arrangement gives that partnership a lasting framework to deliver tangible outcomes for researchers and businesses on both sides.”
The Arrangement establishes a framework to support collaboration between the UK Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council. It builds on existing collaboration between the UK and Taiwan, focusing new bilateral efforts to drive joint research and development in areas of mutual interest, such as semiconductors, space, telecommunications, net zero and AI standards.
In advance of the launch, NSTC Minister Cheng-Wen Wu met separately with Baroness Lloyd, Minister for Space, Cyber and Regulatory Reform, to discuss arrangements for the signing and exchange views on UK-Taiwan S&T opportunities more broadly.
Notes to editors
- The UK and Taiwan share a strong, unofficial relationship across cultural, educational, and trade-related areas, including trade policy, investment, science, technology and innovation, climate, and health.
- The UK and Taiwan have held annual Trade Talks since 1991.
- Taiwan was the UK’s sixth-largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region in 2025, with bilateral trade worth £8.9 billion.
- Ministers reviewed progress under the UK-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership, including cooperation on investment, digital trade and energy and net zero.
- The Science, Innovation and Technology Arrangement is a non-legally binding framework between the UK and Taiwan to support cooperation in science, innovation and technology.