Growing tensions between China and Taiwan could tip the world into war, James Cleverly warns 

Britain will warn China that its massive military build-up against Taiwan risks triggering a ‘tragic miscalculation’ that could tip the world into war.

In a speech tomorrow night, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will urge Beijing to change tack and adopt a policy of ‘peaceful co-existence’ with the break-away island it has long claimed as its own.

Taking on the China hawks in his own party, Mr Cleverly will warn against trying to ‘isolate’ Beijing, saying that a new Cold War would be a ‘betrayal’ of Britain’s national interest.

But he will acknowledge that China’s increasingly assertive conduct is a challenge to the West –and accuse the communist superpower of overseeing ‘the biggest military build-up in peacetime history’ as it menaces Taiwan.

Pictured: the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius in the Taiwan straight 

China has rapidly increased military spending in recent years and is accused of building up an invasion force. Earlier this month it declared it was ‘ready to fight’ after conducting a major military exercise in which it simulated sealing off the island.

Some senior figures in Washington fear China’s communist leadership could order an invasion as soon as 2027, despite warnings from Joe Biden that the US is prepared to defend its ally.

Speaking at the Mansion House tonight, Mr Cleverly will say: ‘At this moment, China is carrying out the biggest military build-up in peacetime history.

‘The UK and our allies are prepared to be open about our presence in the Indo-Pacific.

‘I urge China to be equally open about the doctrine and intent behind its military expansion, because transparency is surely in everyone’s interests and secrecy can only increase the risk of tragic miscalculation.’

Mr Cleverly will remind China that it is a signatory to the UN Charter which protects every country from invasion, adding: ‘We do not expect our disagreements with China to be swiftly overcome, but we do expect China to observe the laws and obligations that it has freely accepted.’

His comments will be seen as a rebuke to French president Emmanuel Macron, who returned from a red carpet trip to Beijing to warn Europe to stay out of the row between the US and China over the future of Taiwan.

Mr Cleverly will stop short of echoing Liz Truss’s call for the UK to arm Taiwan. And he will avoid describing China as a direct ‘threat’ to the UK.

He will also call for a ‘multi-faceted’ approach, warning that Britain cannot afford to ‘pull the shutters down’ on a country with the world’s second biggest economy.