Recommendations & Conclusions
20 items
16
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
While welcoming the extra £20 million to be spent on the BBC World Service, including for protecting the 42 foreign languages in which it broadcasts, we recommend that World Service coverage should be restored in languages which have been discontinued (Malay and Hokkien) and initiated in important Indo-Pacific languages in …
Government response. The government acknowledges the committee's support for increased economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region and discusses its importance for global growth and UK prosperity, without addressing the specific recommendation regarding BBC World Service language coverage.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
17
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should urgently publish an unclassified version of its China Strategy to ensure cross-Government coherence and also publish sector-specific guidance to support, in particular, industries of critical national importance, national security, or data-intensive industries. It must also ensure all relevant Ministers have been briefed on the higher classification version.
Government response. The government's response discusses its economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region and its growth, completely sidestepping the recommendation to urgently publish an unclassified China Strategy and sector-specific guidance.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
18
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
[We believe that the activities outlined in the report, such as the attack on demonstrators outside the Chinese consulate in Manchester. are not isolated incidents, but rather a sustained attempt by the PRC to intimidate expats and dissidents from China and Hong Kong living abroad into refraining from holding or …
Government response. The government's response discusses its economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region and its growth, completely sidestepping the recommendation to proactively address Chinese intimidation tactics against dissidents and raise the issue with China and in international fora.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
27
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
[Neither the Integrated Review (IR) nor the Refresh mentions the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest trade bloc, which, though China-dominated, includes the UK’s allies in the Indo-Pacific, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. (The UK is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), another Chinese …
Government response. The government agrees with the committee on the importance of understanding China and commits to investing in civil servants' skills and knowledge in this area, but does not explain its stance towards the RCEP and IPEF trade blocs as recommended.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
28
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should publish, by December 2023, an assessment of progress made to date in the development of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), for example to what extent it might serve UK interests and objectives in the Indo-Pacific and how it interacts with other multilateral initiatives such as …
Government response. The Government supports Taiwanese participation in international organizations as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite and as an observer or guest where it is. They are waiting for key parliamentary processes to take place to ratify the deal, …
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
29
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should explore and exploit opportunities for further developing of people-to-people and defence/security links with Commonwealth countries in the Indo-Pacific region, based on historical ties and shared values.
Government response. The government agrees but responds by detailing its commitment to investing in civil servants' skills to better understand China, which is unrelated to developing people-to-people and defence/security links with Commonwealth countries.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
33
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should propose to Australia and the United States that Japan and South Korea be invited to join an AUKUS technological defence cooperation agreement focused on Strand B activities only. (Paragraph 101) 70 Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific
Government response. The government will keep all options under consideration to ensure AUKUS Pillar II can adapt to the evolving technological landscape and notes the Committee’s recommendation on potential membership.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
34
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
In the face of challenges such as the more aggressive role of China in the South China Sea, the Five-Power Defence Arrangements, with their solid history of military cooperation, could be a firm basis for a wider regional alliance in Southeast Asia. (Paragraph 102) Human rights and the Rules-Based International …
Government response. The government partially agrees, highlighting the importance of diplomatic presence and building partnerships, and states it has already doubled the number of British High Commissions across Pacific Island Countries in the last four years, rather than addressing the role of …
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
35
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should explain whether it is adopting a two-track approach: negotiating trade agreements separately from discussions on human rights, or a conditional approach: in which trade deals are explicitly linked to—and limited by— our trading partner’s human rights record.
Government response. The government partially agrees but does not explain its approach to linking trade agreements with human rights. Instead, it highlights its increased diplomatic presence and understanding of local context in Pacific Island Countries.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
39
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should establish a Diplomatic Academy in the Indo-Pacific region to build capacity in foreign policy formulation and diplomatic representation in partner governments that wish to make use of it. This would be a projection of soft power and the strength of rule of law and governance structures which …
Government response. The government agrees and is actively exploring options for new approaches to capacity building, including the feasibility of establishing a new UK training offer for partner governments in the Indo-Pacific.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
41
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should assess Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) provisions supporting business mobility alongside existing commitments in bilateral agreements with countries in the Indo-Pacific such as the FTAs with Australia and New Zealand.
Government response. The government partially agrees but addresses its FCDO language learning system for speaker slots and staff development in the Indo-Pacific region, which is unrelated to assessing CPTPP business mobility provisions.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
42
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
We recommend that the Government examine current visa procedures with a view to facilitating entry for those visiting the UK from Indo-Pacific partner countries for purposes such as studying, teaching or doing business. (Paragraph 132) Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific 71 ASEAN
Government response. The government partially agrees but addresses its FCDO language learning system for speaker slots and staff development in the Indo-Pacific region, which is unrelated to examining visa procedures for visitors.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
47
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The UK Government should support visits by trade, science and education ministers both inward and outward with Taiwan.
Government response. The government's response discusses the BBC World Service and its operational independence, which is unrelated to the recommendation for supporting ministerial visits with Taiwan.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
48
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
Now that the UK is a full member of CPTPP it can and should campaign for Taiwan to be admitted.
Government response. The government partially agrees but shifts focus to the importance and independence of the BBC World Service and its language services, not addressing campaigning for Taiwan's admission to CPTPP.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
52
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The UK should engage with Taiwanese and other major companies to secure inward investment in the semiconductor and wind industries in the UK to enhance resilience by building an alternative supply source for advanced semiconductors and wind energy components, whether this involves onshoring or friendshoring.
Government response. The government's response addresses the issue of foreign powers intimidating individuals in the UK, which is unrelated to the recommendation to secure inward investment from Taiwanese companies in semiconductors and wind industries.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
54
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
We recommend that the Government this year publish a plan to scale up its cooperation with Taiwan over the next five years on English language teaching in Taiwan and Mandarin teaching in the UK to meet the requirements of Taiwan’s Bilingual 2030 programme and the UK’s need to reduce dependence …
Government response. The government agrees but responds by stating that it will not tolerate attempts by any foreign power to intimidate, harass, or harm individuals or communities in the UK, failing to address the recommendation regarding language teaching cooperation with Taiwan or …
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
57
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should establish a timetable for signing a digital partnership agreement with the Republic of Korea similar to the one the UK has with Japan within the framework of the 2022 UK-Korea bilateral framework of cooperation. This should include cooperation on ensuring a reliable supply of semiconductors.
Government response. The government's response discusses China and Hong Kong's attempts to intimidate individuals, which is unrelated to the recommendation to establish a timetable for a digital partnership agreement with the Republic of Korea.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
58
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The Government should support a formal agreement on closer engagement of AUKUS Strand B with Japan in the short term with a potential view to eventual Japanese membership of AUKUS, which would greatly strengthen AUKUS’ role in the Indo- Pacific.
Government response. The government agrees but responds with a general statement condemning attempts by China and Hong Kong to intimidate individuals and affirming the UK's commitment to freedom of expression, completely unrelated to supporting AUKUS engagement with Japan.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
61
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
The UK Government should review recent Indian legislation around transparency of ownership and consider whether any measures therein could be adopted in British legislation. The UK should prioritise big data, AI, biological engineering and tech manufacturing relationships with India. There is an opportunity for the UK to work with India …
Government response. The government partially agrees but then discusses strengthening national security protections related to the CCP, entirely missing the recommendation concerning reviewing Indian legislation and prioritising tech relationships with India.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
62
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I…
Deferred
[The UK and India have completed seven rounds of negotiations on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which should boost trade and investment between the two countries.] We are concerned that the pace of negotiations should be maintained so that agreement can be reached as soon as practicable.
Government response. The government partially agrees but responds by discussing the UK's commitment to strengthening national security protections against the CCP and prioritizing national security, not addressing the pace of UK-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office