Implementing the Integrated Review: Tilt to the Indo-Pacific

Foreign Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 22 Jul 2021 Closed: 29 May 2024 Parliament page
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 … Read more
32 Recommendations
35 Conclusions
1 Report
7 Oral sessions
4 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 20 events
22 Mar
2024
Report published
30 Aug
2023
Report published
19 Jul
2023
Correspondence
12 Jun
2023
Oral evidence
12 Jun
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
10 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
10 Jan
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
22 Nov
2022
Oral evidence
22 Nov
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
5 Jul
2022
Oral evidence
5 Jul
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
16 Jun
2022
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 7 sessions
12 Jun 2023
View on parliament.uk
Foreign Affairs Committee
Rt Hon James Cleverly · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
10 Jan 2023
View on parliament.uk
Foreign Affairs Committee
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
22 Nov 2022
View on parliament.uk
Foreign Affairs Committee
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
5 Jul 2022
View on parliament.uk
Foreign Affairs Committee
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)
16 Nov 2021
View on parliament.uk
Foreign Affairs Committee
Dr Alessio Patalano · Kings College London Jason Hsu Michael Reilly · Global Taiwan Institute
26 Oct 2021
View on parliament.uk
Foreign Affairs Committee
Dr Jack Holland · University of Leeds Dr Sidharth Kaushal · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
26 Oct 2021
View on parliament.uk
Foreign Affairs Committee
Professor Rory Medcalf · Crawford School of Public Policy
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the … HC 172 30 Aug 2023 67 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
20 results
Clear
16 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Restore and initiate BBC World Service coverage in discontinued and new Indo-Pacific languages.
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 … Read more
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
View details
17 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Publish unclassified China Strategy and sector-specific guidance for critical industries.
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 … Read more
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
View details
18 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Proactively communicate unacceptability of PRC intimidation policy to China and international fora.
[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 … Read more
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
View details
27 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Explain the Government's current stance on RCEP and IPEF trade blocs.
[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 … Read more
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
View details
28 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Publish assessments of IPEF's progress and RCEP's role, considering potential UK membership.
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 … Read more
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, so they will not comment on any other economies’ interest in the agreement.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
29 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Explore opportunities to develop people-to-people and defence links with Indo-Pacific Commonwealth countries.
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
View details
33 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Propose inviting Japan and South Korea to join AUKUS Strand B activities.
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 … Read more
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
View details
34 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Five-Power Defence Arrangements offer strong basis for wider Southeast Asia alliance.
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 … Read more
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 the Five-Power Defence Arrangements for a wider regional alliance.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
35 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Explain Government's approach to linking trade agreements with human rights record.
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. Read more
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
View details
39 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Establish Indo-Pacific Diplomatic Academy to build partner government foreign policy capacity.
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 … Read more
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
View details
41 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Assess CPTPP provisions supporting business mobility alongside existing bilateral agreements with Indo-Pacific countries.
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. Read more
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
View details
42 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Examine current visa procedures to facilitate entry for visitors from Indo-Pacific partner countries.
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 … Read more
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
View details
47 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Support inward and outward visits by trade, science, and education ministers with Taiwan.
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
View details
48 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Campaign for Taiwan's admission to CPTPP now that the UK is a full member.
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
View details
52 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Engage companies to secure investment in UK semiconductor and wind industries for supply resilience
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 … Read more
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
View details
54 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Publish five-year plan for scaling UK-Taiwan English and Mandarin language teaching cooperation
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 … Read more
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 Confucius Institutes.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
57 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Establish timetable for signing digital partnership agreement with Republic of Korea, including semiconductors
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 … Read more
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
View details
58 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Support formal agreement for closer AUKUS Strand B engagement with Japan towards membership
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
View details
61 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Review Indian ownership transparency laws and prioritise tech partnerships with India.
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 … Read more
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
View details
62 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Tilting horizons: …
Pace of UK-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations must be maintained.
[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 … Read more
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
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 67 of 32 classified
Accepted 16
Accepted in Part 12
Acknowledged 10
Deferred 20
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 6
Total 32 recs + 35 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
19 Jul 2023 Correspondence from the Foreign Secretary following up on the FAC oral evidence session on 12 June - Indo-Pacific Tilt, dated 13/07/2023
Parliament page
16 Jun 2022 Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating to Taiwan, dated 26/05/2022 and 11/05/2022
Parliament page
19 May 2022 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating to Taiwan, dated 11/05/2022
Parliament page
19 May 2022 From committee Letter to the Director General of the World Health Organization relating to Taiwan, dated 10/05/2022
Parliament page