Select Committee · Foreign Affairs Committee

Implementing the Integrated Review: Tilt to the Indo-Pacific

Status: Closed Opened: 22 Jul 2021 Closed: 29 May 2024 32 recommendations 35 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry will explore the questions raised by the ‘Tilt to the Indo-Pacific’ announced in the Integrated Review. By answering country specific and broader regional questions, the inquiry will identify the main opportunities and challenges for the UK’s realignment to the Indo-Pacific region and deliver recommendations for maximising its influence and engagement there. Read the … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and… HC 172 30 Aug 2023 67 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

10 items
4 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Refresh pragmatically focuses on Euro-Atlantic and establishes Indo-Pacific as permanent policy pillar.

We welcome the realistic and pragmatic response in the Refresh to recent geopolitical events and trends, in particular the primary focus on the Euro-Atlantic and the establishment of the Indo-Pacific as a permanent pillar of the UK’s international policy. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees that the Indo-Pacific must be a long-term and enduring aspect of UK international policy, compatible with the Euro-Atlantic remaining a core priority.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
7 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Permanent rebalancing of foreign policy through the Tilt remains unproven without sustained prioritisation.

It is not yet clear whether the Tilt has achieved a permanent rebalancing of UK foreign policy. It will only have done so if prioritisation is maintained consistently over a long period during which relationships can be built and sustained on the basis of the original Tilt. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees the Indo-Pacific is a long-term and enduring aspect of UK international policy, asserting that it now forms a permanent pillar of policy, thus addressing the committee's point about clarity on rebalancing.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
11 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Increase transparency on extent and distribution of additional Indo-Pacific capability funding.

The continuing high priority of the Indo-Pacific in the 2023 Refresh should be matched by a commensurately expanded resource allocation to ensure delivery. While welcoming the doubling of spending on China-facing capability and the £20 million more for the BBC World Service, there needs to be more transparency on the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees that the Indo-Pacific is a long-term and enduring aspect of UK international policy, critical to the economy and security, but does not provide details on expanded resource allocation or increased transparency.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
12 Recommendation Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Explain Indo-Pacific prioritisation translated into long-term FCDO budget and diplomatic post allocation.

The Government should now explain how its prioritisation of the Indo-Pacific region will be translated into long-term resource allocation, for example in a reallocation of FCDO budget towards the Indo-Pacific and an increase in the number of diplomatic posts in the region, and it should indicate in which countries these … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees the Indo-Pacific is a long-term priority and critical for the UK, but it does not explain how this prioritisation will translate into long-term resource allocation, budget reallocation, or an increase in diplomatic posts in the region as requested.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
23 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Society's pillars face autocratic attacks, necessitating a comprehensive, integrated national defence strategy.

We must recognise that all pillars of society are under attack from autocracies and that our resulting defence against them must be a defence of all of our society.

Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses its zero-tolerance approach to transnational repression and efforts to build resilience against economic coercion, thereby implicitly acknowledging societal threats, but does not explicitly address the broad conclusion on defending all pillars of society.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
26 Recommendation Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Establish a central CNI list to improve coordination and clarify priority areas.

Cross-government and external agency coordination in mitigating the risk of technological dependence on China is uneven and disjointed. The Government should create a central CNI list to improve coordination and clarify areas of priority. With the technology sector now dominated by a few key players, we are now over-reliant on … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for CNI resilience and states it is developing a Critical National Infrastructure Resilience Strategy. However, it does not explicitly commit to creating a central CNI list to improve coordination as recommended.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
32 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Free and Open Indo-Pacific" provides vital basis for cooperation and upholding shared values.

A Free and Open Indo-Pacific is the right basis for cooperation between widely differing countries in the region on common policy areas, as it establishes basic principles on which like-minded countries can agree and then move on to fashion shared approaches to putting them into practice. Again, if we wish … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agreed with the objective of a free and open Indo-Pacific and stated it is a clear, critical, and enduring aspect of the UK's international policy.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
50 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Existing UK cooperation with Taiwan builds resilience and supports peaceful objectives

The UK needs to build on its existing cooperation with Taiwan and with like-minded partner countries to help achieve Taiwan’s peaceful objectives and strengthen its resilience. This is not a threat to the CCP, but a friendship with a fellow democracy. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation to build on existing cooperation with Taiwan and like-minded partners, citing ongoing contact with G7, efforts to promote British firms, and work on supply chain resilience through the Semiconductor Strategy.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
55 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

UK-Japan Digital Partnership signed and welcomed for enhanced cooperation

We welcome the UK-Japan Digital Partnership signed in December 2022, under which the two countries will cooperate more closely in 14 areas.

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's welcome of the UK-Japan Digital Partnership, highlighting its contributions to app security, a new Semiconductors Partnership via the Hiroshima Accord, and the renewal of the Science and Technology Agreement.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
56 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Acknowledged

Bilateral cooperation frameworks and agreements with South Korea and Singapore welcomed

We also welcome the signing of the UK-Republic of Korea bilateral framework of cooperation in June 2022 and the July 2022 data adequacy agreement signed between the UK and the Republic of Korea, as well as the February 2022 Digital Economy Agreement between the UK and Singapore. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's welcome, highlighting the signing of the UK-ROK Downing Street Accord, the launch of a new Digital Partnership to strengthen cooperation, and the data bridge regulation with the Republic of Korea coming into effect in December 2022.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Oral evidence sessions

7 sessions
Date Witnesses
12 Jun 2023 Rt Hon James Cleverly · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office View ↗
10 Jan 2023 Aman Hingorani · Supreme Court of India, Asoke Mukerji, Garima Mohan · The German Marshall Fund of the United States, Mosharraf Zaidi · Tabadlab, Sir Dominic Asquith KCMG, Walter Ladwig III · King's College London View ↗
22 Nov 2022 Aaron Connelly · International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Ben Bland · Chatham House, Gregory Poling · Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington, D.C., Jurgen Haacke · London School of Economics (LSE), Patrick Abbot · NIRAS Development Consulting, Shafiah Muhibat · Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jakarta View ↗
5 Jul 2022 Bill Emmott · The Economist, Dr Alessio Patalano · Kings College London, Dr Jamie Collier · Mandiant, Mihoko Matsubara · NTT Corporation, Robert Ward · International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) View ↗
16 Nov 2021 Dr Alessio Patalano · Kings College London, Jason Hsu, Michael Reilly · Global Taiwan Institute View ↗
26 Oct 2021 Dr Jack Holland · University of Leeds, Dr Sidharth Kaushal · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) View ↗
26 Oct 2021 Professor Rory Medcalf · Crawford School of Public Policy View ↗

Who gave evidence

24 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dr Alessio Patalano · Department of War Studies Kings College London 2
Aaron Connelly · Senior Fellow for Southeast Asian Politics and Fo… International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 1
Aman Hingorani · Lawyer and mediator Supreme Court of India 1
Asoke Mukerji 1
Ben Bland · Director of the Asia-Pacific Programme Chatham House 1
Bill Emmott · Former Editor-in-Chief The Economist 1
Dr Jack Holland · Associate Professor in International Relations/Se… University of Leeds 1
Dr Jamie Collier · Senior Threat Intelligence Advisor Mandiant 1
Dr Sidharth Kaushal · Senior Research Fellow Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) 1
Garima Mohan · Senior Fellow The German Marshall Fund of the United States 1
Gregory Poling · Senior Fellow and Director, Southeast Asia Progra… Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington, D.C. 1
Jason Hsu 1
Jurgen Haacke · Associate Professor, Department of International … London School of Economics (LSE) 1
Michael Reilly · Member, Advisory Board Global Taiwan Institute 1
Mihoko Matsubara · Chief Cybersecurity Strategist NTT Corporation 1
Mosharraf Zaidi · Journalist and CEO Tabadlab 1
Patrick Abbot · UK Director NIRAS Development Consulting 1
Professor Rory Medcalf · Head, National Security College Crawford School of Public Policy 1
Robert Ward · Japan Chair International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 1
Rt Hon James Cleverly · Secretary of State Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Shafiah Muhibat · Deputy Executive Director for Research Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jakarta 1
Sir Dominic Asquith KCMG 1
Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE · Permanent Under-Secretary Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office 1
Walter Ladwig III · Senior Lecturer in International Relations King's College London 1

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 Jul 2023 Correspondence from the Foreign Secretary following up on the FAC oral evidence…
16 Jun 2022 Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating …
19 May 2022 From cttee Letter to the Director General of the World Health Organization relating to Tai…
19 May 2022 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating to Taiwan,…