By Andrew MacAskill and Elizabeth Piper

LONDON, March 13 (Reuters) – Britain last year approved a sharp increase in exports of submarine parts and technology to Taiwan to modernize its navy, a move that could damage Britain’s relationship with China.

The value of licenses granted by the UK Government to companies to export submarine-related components and technology to Taiwan rose to a record £167 million ($201.29 million) in the first nine months of last year, according to UK Government export license data. The number is higher than the previous six years combined, according to a Reuters analysis of data.

Data is publicly available, but the latest figures regarding Taiwan have not been reported before.

Beijing views Taiwan as part of China, known as the one China policy, and strongly opposes perceptions of foreign interference on the island, seeing it as supporting Taiwan’s desire to be recognized as its own country.

When presented with the figures by Reuters, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “If this is true, it is a serious violation of the one-China principle, undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests, and undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” .

“China is deeply concerned about this and strongly opposes it,” the written statement read, urging the UK to “refrain from providing military support to the Taiwanese authorities.”

The UK does not recognize Taiwan and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island, but maintains economic and trade links and has a de facto British embassy in Taipei.

A UK government spokesperson said in a statement that Britain had a long history of “licensing the export of controlled goods to Taiwan on a case-by-case basis where the request is consistent with the rules governing the export of arms and products.” dual use”.

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“We believe that the Taiwan issue should be resolved peacefully by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without threats or use of force or coercion,” the statement added.

The increase in permits granted reflects a greater demand from Taiwan, two government officials said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Two lawmakers with knowledge of exports and two former officials said the approvals reflected Britain’s growing desire to support Taiwan. One lawmaker, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said allowing export licenses was tantamount to giving a “green light” to better equip Taiwan.

The data comes from the Export Control Organization, which is responsible for export permits and reports to the UK Department of International Trade. They pointed out that the government authorized 25 export licenses to Taiwan during the first nine months of 2022 under the categories of “submarine components” and “submarine technology”.

The data does not reveal which companies received authorization, nor does it specify what specific equipment it covers.

One type of license, called ML9, covers “warships, special naval equipment, accessories, components and other surface ships”, according to Britain’s list of strategic military items requiring export authorization. Another type of license, ML22, covers technology required for the development, production, operation, installation, maintenance, repair, or goods or software.

The British government announced an increase in defense spending on Monday, while providing updates on its defense, security and foreign policy priorities, outlining how it intends to “deal with new threats” from China and Russia. .

(1 US dollar = 0.8297 pounds)

(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei, Martin Quin Pollard in Beijing, and Andy Bruce and Paul Sandle in London; Edited in Spanish by Benjamin Mejías Valencia)