Liz Truss Taiwan trip sparks row with senior Tory MP

A senior Conservative MP has accused former Prime Minister Liz Truss of "Instagram diplomacy" over her planned visit to Taiwan.

Alicia Kearns, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs committee, told the Guardian the trip was "performative, not substantive".

But Ms Truss accused her Tory colleague of "misusing" her position "to engage in petty political attacks".

She has said her visit next week aims to show "solidarity" with Taiwan.

However, Ms Kearns suggested the trip could have a negative impact, citing increased Chinese military activity in the area following a visit by Nancy Pelosi, when she was US speaker.

"It is deeply unhelpful because it escalates the normal situation in Taiwan," she said.

"Taiwanese people already have to live with more Chinese military manoeuvres because of Nancy Pelosi's visit. Liz Truss doesn't have any influence any more - this is more about keeping herself relevant."

A spokesman for Ms Truss hit back, saying: "The former prime minister has been invited to visit by the Taiwan Government. They are better placed to know what is in the interests of the Taiwanese people than the MP for Rutland.

"The future of Taiwan as a free democracy is at stake. Alicia Kearns should apologise for misusing her position as a select committee chair to engage in petty political attacks."

Ms Truss has previously said she wants to use the visit, where she is expected to meet Taiwanese government officials, to show "solidarity with the Taiwanese people in person in the face of increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from the regime in Beijing".

Ms Truss resigned in October after just 45 days in office, following the economic turmoil of her mini-budget.

Since returning to the backbenches, she has sought to take a hard line on China, speaking out in support of Taiwan.

In a speech in Tokyo earlier this year she urged countries to send a message to Beijing that "military aggression towards Taiwan would be a mistake".

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing's control.

But Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders.

Last year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the so-called "golden era" of relations with China was over and that the closer economic ties of the previous decade had been "naïve".

But in a recent speech Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said "isolating" China would not be in the UK's national interest.