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 …

Clear

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

6 items
1 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Rejected

Government fails to define clear long-term objectives for its Indo-Pacific Tilt policy.

The Indo-Pacific Tilt served to confirm an existing trend of increasing engagement with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and demonstrated the intent of Government to persist with and deepen this engagement in the long term. However, there has been no explanation of the outcomes that the Government expects from the …

Government response. The government disagrees with the committee's assessment that it has not clearly set out its long-term objectives for the Indo-Pacific Tilt, citing previous Integrated Reviews and ministerial speeches, and states it is increasing strategic communications resources in the region.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
20 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Rejected

Explain rationale and method for separating contentious and cooperative issues with China.

We welcome the Government’s China policy statement in general terms in the Refresh. However, this policy now needs to be fleshed out so that practitioners such as academics and businesspeople can be fully aware of the limits within which they can operate with and in China. The FCDO should explain …

Government response. The government states there is no need to publish an additional China Strategy to flesh out its policy, reiterating its existing approach of protecting national security, aligning with allies, and engaging where in UK interests, coordinated by the National Security …
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
36 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Rejected

Prioritising trade over human rights, enabling violations and consumer complicity, is unacceptable.

It is unacceptable that trade should be prioritised over human rights to the extent that states that regularly violate human rights can continue to do so unsanctioned and our consumers, wittingly or unwittingly, participate indirectly by buying products made in inhumane conditions.

Government response. The government explicitly disagrees with the committee's conclusion, stating that trade is not being prioritised over human rights and outlining existing measures to address human rights violations in supply chains.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
49 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Rejected

UK's "One China" policy requires better understanding across Whitehall for appropriate Taiwan engagement.

[The UK’s “One China” policy is not the same as China’s “One China” principle. Rather than agreeing to China’s claim to Taiwan, the UK, like other liberal democracies, merely acknowledges Beijing’s position.] This policy of acknowledgment needs to be better understood across Whitehall departments to prevent policymakers from misspeaking or …

Government response. The government explicitly disagrees with the recommendation, stating it does not intend to publish an additional China Strategy, as its approach is already outlined in the Integrated Review Refresh and the former Foreign Secretary’s Mansion House Speech.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
51 Conclusion Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Rejected

Identify meaningful activities and red lines for deterrence diplomacy to protect Taiwan's self-determination

The UK Government must identify meaningful activities, and red lines, that enable it to shape and pursue an effective policy of deterrence diplomacy to contribute to 72 Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific the protection of the right of self-determination of the people of Taiwan. The last two …

Government response. The government explicitly disagrees with the recommendation, stating it will not publish an additional China Strategy to identify specific deterrence diplomacy activities or red lines for Taiwan, instead relying on its existing Integrated Review Refresh and Mansion House Speech approach …
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
63 Recommendation Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the I… Rejected

Set deadline for India-UK FTA and negotiate supply chain agreements with India.

We recommend that the Government set a deadline for the early conclusion of negotiations on the India-UK FTA. Unless already included in the FTA, the Government should also consider negotiating agreements with India similar to the UK-Australia supply chain and critical minerals agreements to establish shared principles of supply chain …

Government response. The government rejects setting a deadline for the India-UK FTA, stating it will only sign a deal in the UK's best interests. It acknowledges the importance of resilient supply chains and existing trade/cooperation with India on manufacturing, but does not …
Foreign and Commonwealth 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 ↗

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 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating to Taiwan,…
19 May 2022 From cttee Letter to the Director General of the World Health Organization relating to Tai…