Today the Defence Committee publishes its report “UK Defence and
the Indo-Pacific”.
Strengthening defence cooperation with allies
The report welcomes the announcement of the AUKUS partnership
with the US and Australia and asks the UK to reaffirm its
commitment as a reliable partner to countries in South-East Asia
and the Pacific through regional bodies, such as ASEAN.
It also calls for the Government to continue to strengthen
UK-Japan defence cooperation and remain steadfast allies. The
Committee urges the Government to plan a programme of joint
exercises with the Japanese armed forces and continue
collaboration on science and technology programmes as part of the
Hiroshima Accord.
The UK must also be a reliable partner to India and create
strategic industrial partnerships to provide greater
opportunities for the UK defence industry. The report calls for
the UK to support efforts by India to reduce its dependency on
Russian military equipment.
Tilt to the Indo-Pacific
The report is critical of the Government’s claim that they have
“delivered” the Tilt.
The Committee concludes that the UK’s regional military presence
in the Indo-Pacific remains limited and calls for an injection of
cash, equipment and personnel into the region – whether this is
additional or repurposed from elsewhere – if the UK aspires to
play any significant role there.
The report highlights that without a larger permanent presence in
the Indo-Pacific region, it is unlikely that the UK would be able
to make a substantial contribution to allied efforts in the event
of conflict in the region.
China and Taiwan
The report concludes that a possible conflict between China and
Taiwan may only be years away and would have formidable
consequences across the globe. The Committee urges the Government
and the Armed Forces to prepare for any potential response,
co-ordinated with allies and partners, to a range of actions by
China against Taiwan.
The Committee also urges the Government to carry out an
assessment of China to determine whether, under the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP), it should be labelled a threat to national
and international security.
The report calls for the Government to set out a single,
cross-government Indo-Pacific strategy, with the Ministry of
Defence including a comprehensive defence and diplomatic response
to the growing threat posed by China under the CCP.
Vice-Chair of the Defence Committee, MP, said:
“The Indo-Pacific is of major importance for the UK, but it is
unstable. Maintaining stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific
will prove vital for long-term international security, and the
security and prosperity of the UK.
“Despite the Government’s insistence that the Indo-Pacific Tilt
has been ‘delivered’, our report found that the reality falls
short of the rhetoric.
“We currently have no real military capabilities in the
Indo-Pacific and are unlikely to be able to contribute
significantly in the event of hostilities in the region. If we
are serious about building up our presence – and if we are able
to do so without disrupting our commitments elsewhere – we must
allocate resources to efforts in the region, alongside our allies
and partners.
“China has become increasingly aggressive in its pursuit of
dominance, both regionally and internationally. It appears that
China is preparing to confront Taiwan. In response to this, the
UK Government and Armed Forces must ensure that we are prepared
to respond to a variety of potential hostilities, from ‘grey
zone’ activities to outright conflict. This needs to be more than
just words, and must be treated with focus and urgency."
