The Chinese Embassy in the UK has strongly condemned former UK prime minister Boris Johnson's reported visit to Taiwan and his calls for stronger economic ties between Western countries and the island. A spokesperson reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and warned against foreign interference in what it considers internal affairs.

The following is a readout of the spokesperson's remarks.

Question: It is reported that former British prime minister Boris Johnson is visiting Taiwan and has called on Western countries to build economic relations with Taiwan. What is the Embassy's comment?

Embassy Spokesperson: We strongly oppose any visit to Taiwan by British politicians under any pretext.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. Taiwan affairs are purely China's internal affairs and brook no external interference.

At present, the greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is the separatist provocations by the Taiwan authorities. China will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the rest of the country in any way, nor will China tolerate any external attempt to obstruct its complete reunification.

We urge the British politician concerned to stop emboldening the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, cease interfering in China's internal affairs, and refrain from going further down the wrong path.