China pressed the United Kingdom to affirm the One China principle during high level talks in Beijing, using a meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell to call for a public British position on Taiwan at a time of heightening tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.   During the meeting Chinese officials stated that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belonged to a single state and urged London to express this view clearly. Chinese readouts described the exchange as part of an ongoing diplomatic effort to stabilise relations with major international partners while ensuring support for Beijing’s priorities. The Chinese foreign ministry also referred to broader global developments and noted that discussions between the two sides had included the situation in Ukraine. Beijing presented the talks as an attempt to maintain communication with the UK on matters that extend beyond regional disputes and involve wider international responsibility. China’s request to the UK coincided with a serious downturn in relations between Beijing and Tokyo, driven by concerns relating to Taiwan’s status and regional security. Beijing has been seeking support from influential global capitals and appears intent on bringing Western governments into a diplomatic environment that stretches far beyond the immediate region. Earlier in November China had already called on the UK to manage occasional tensions in bilateral relations and to keep strategic communication open. That message came after a period of strained exchanges and now appears to have developed into a more explicit request from Beijing regarding Britain’s position on Taiwan. The British government has maintained longstanding ambiguity in its approach to China and Taiwan. The UK recognises the government of the People’s Republic of China but does not explicitly recognise Beijing’s sovereignty over Taiwan, which mirrors the practice of several Western states. This position remains formally in place and is recorded in public documentation. China’s foreign ministry said its expectations extended to longer term cooperation and reiterated calls for what it described as necessary coordination between Beijing and London. The ministry referred to shared responsibilities on global challenges and highlighted the relevance of strengthened channels of communication between the two countries. The meeting took place against a backdrop of renewed diplomatic engagement between the UK and China. British ministers planned high level visits to Beijing earlier in the year as part of a wider government initiative to re establish contact with China in areas ranging from economic cooperation to political dialogue, despite domestic concerns over espionage and security issues. China has also been advancing diplomatic outreach to European states and the UK in recent months. Beijing has called for joint efforts to support multilateral trading systems and resist unilateral moves from other powers. These earlier efforts centred on economic and trade discussions and now appear to be intersecting with Beijing’s political messaging. The UK has not issued any statement indicating that it would change its existing position following the meeting. China’s appeal places attention on whether Britain will decide to state its view on Taiwan more explicitly in future communications with Beijing. For the moment London’s position remains unchanged and no formal commitments have been announced....