Edinburgh City Council has shelved plans for a new “friendship agreement” with a city in Taiwan, citing concerns it could have a negative impact on ties with China.
Local authorities were set to consider a five-year partnership to strengthen cultural and commercial links between the Scottish capital and Kaohsiung.
The report also raised concerns that this could lead to an increased risk of cyber attacks.
Groups including the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Airport and Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce have warned that the measures could result in sanctions being imposed on the city, leading to a drop in trade, tourism and student numbers.
Taiwan considers itself an independent nation and currently functions largely as such.
This view is not shared by China, and most countries, including the United States and Britain, recognise Taiwan as a province of China.
The report acknowledged that the deal “certainly poses potential risks to the city’s relations with China, but those risks are difficult to quantify with any certainty.”
The current threat level to the commission from cyber attacks remains “very high,” it said, adding that signing the agreement “is likely to increase these risks.”
Agreement will have ‘serious consequences’
Council leader Cammy Day, who has led efforts to strengthen ties between Edinburgh and Taiwan, visited Kaohsiung and Taipei last year on a trip funded by the Taiwanese government.
In August, he received city council members’ agreement to “work toward concluding a memorandum of understanding between Taiwan and an appropriate urban partner.”
This was later transformed into a “Friendship Agreement” based on the “principle of mutual benefit”.
The aim is to “strengthen cooperation in commerce and innovation, and enrich the cultural and artistic life of both cities.”
But following growing concerns in Edinburgh and discussions with China, the plans have been put on hold.
The Chinese Consul General requested a meeting with Scottish Government Minister Angus Robertson, and the meeting took place on 12 June.
A Scottish Government spokesman said Mr Robertson had reassured the consul-general that Scottish Government policy on Taiwan had not changed and that “local authorities are independent from the Scottish Government and any decisions regarding the friendship agreement between Edinburgh and Kaohsiung will be taken by city councils”.
The spokesman added: “City of Edinburgh Council also approached the Scottish Government on 14 June, seeking feedback and comments on the final draft of the document which will be considered by the city council.”
“In their response, the department has assured us that both the UK and Scottish governments have assured us that this is a matter for local authorities to decide and that this position has been communicated to the consulate.”
China’s representative in Edinburgh told city councillors that it had “serious concerns” about “the sister city agreement between Edinburgh and cities in Taiwan”.
“This is not simply an action to promote exchanges and friendship, but is deeply related to the Taiwan issue and will have profound consequences,” Consul General Zhang Biao wrote in a letter sent earlier this month.
“The Chinese government firmly opposes any country that has diplomatic relations with China engaging in any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, including signing any agreements concerning sovereignty or of an official nature.”
Biao said the council’s signing of a friendship treaty with Taiwan “will hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and bring serious consequences to bilateral relations. That’s something we don’t want.”
He added: “Edinburgh has little to gain from such action and certainly much to lose.”
Day said he had considered the views of business and other partners and determined that “further discussions are needed before this agreement can move forward.”
“We will continue this dialogue and report back at a future council meeting,” he said.
“But I also believe that building this relationship with a progressive, open-minded city like ours is absolutely the right thing for the people of Edinburgh.”
Letters of support were received from the Kaohsiung City Government, the British Taipei Representative Office, and the Scottish Taiwan Society.
However, several groups urged the council not to sign the agreement.
- Edinburgh Airport feared it could hurt efforts to increase direct flights to China.
- Essential Edinburgh said sanctions against the city could have a “significant impact on future international student and visitor numbers from China”.
- Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce highlighted “the success of the recent trade mission and the importance of maintaining strong relations with both Taiwan and China.”
- The Edinburgh Hotel Association stressed the importance of Chinese tourists and international students to Edinburgh’s businesses and tourism economy.
- The University of Edinburgh also warned of “the risk of a general deterioration in relations with Chinese partner organisations if the proposed formal arrangements go ahead”.
An Edinburgh Airport spokesman said the parliamentary draft report lacked detail about the “potential impact of the risks mentioned”.
“Various things were mentioned, including our current relationship with China and the benefits that it brings, but we felt it would be prudent for everyone to better understand the potential range of risks involved in order to make informed decisions,” he said.
Conservative leader Ian White said local authorities should focus on “improving the vital local services they provide, rather than fruitlessly dabbling in international politics”.
“Clearly, much more consideration was needed before it was submitted as a formal proposal,” he added.
“This pause will be beneficial as it will allow the council to engage more extensively if the proposal is submitted again.”
“It’s time to focus on the priorities of Edinburgh’s people.”
Article by Local Democracy Reporter Donald Turville
China’s claims to the island of Taiwan have become increasingly assertive.
Beijing has used its trade influence and diplomatic pressure to prevent other countries from formally recognising the Taipei government, which currently only has 12 countries, most of them small island nations.
Taiwan has become a focus of growing security tensions as China has stepped up its military spending in recent years and there are fears that Chinese forces are preparing for an invasion.
The Beijing government and its diplomats around the world are using blatant pressure through trade to advance their own interests, threatening to block products from their markets, and China is also suspected of being behind cyber attacks.
In Scotland’s case, exports include whisky and salmon. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Scotland has increased sharply in recent years, with four direct flights a week from Hainan to Edinburgh in summer. Visit permits are sometimes suspended.
The threat could be even more serious for Scottish universities, which have more than 20,000 Chinese students – the University of Edinburgh has around 7,000 of them – and rely on their tuition fees to cover a range of teaching and research costs.
If the Chinese government were to order its citizens to cut off that source of income, it would create serious budget problems for higher education.
