Britain aligns with Australia against China

Boris Johnson pivots UK towards the Indo-Pacific, describing it as world’s ‘geo­political centre’ in major policy speech.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pivoting his government towards the Indo-Pacific, which he is due to call “the geo­political centre of the world” in a major policy speech in London overnight.

It comes as the British government has recognised the threat that Chinese international assertiveness and militarisation pose to the UK’s national interests.

A British pivot to the Indo-­Pacific means London will put more emphasis on Asia in trade and security. It may well seek to join the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, and it will seek greater investment — both inward and outward — from Asia.

After COVID, Asian economies have a much higher growth rate than European economies. And now, having left the EU, Britain will want to tie itself to that higher growth.

Canberra will regard this as good news because the two Five Eyes partners have very closely aligned world views. Of all the European nations, Britain has the most global outlook and the widest global interests. Pivoting to Asia is a key part of Mr Johnson’s post-Brexit vision for Britain.

His government will act to ­restrict foreign investment that could compromise national security in critical infrastructure. It will also act to make sure that sensitive sites, such as military and communications bases, are safeguarded from espionage or technical penetration.

Like Australia, Britain will take increased measures to ensure the security of its critical domestic infrastructure such as energy and transport networks.

Mr Johnson is launching the report of a wide-ranging inte­grated review of security, defence, ­development and foreign policy, entitled Global Britain in a Competitive Age

He will announce the establishment of a White House-style Situation Centre — mimicking the Americans’ famed Situation Room — in the Cabinet Office to co-ordinate all tools of government in an emergency, as well as a new Counter-Terrorism Operations Centre.

The review predicts that a terrorist attack involving a “dirty bomb” is likely before 2030.

The review specifically recognises China as “the biggest state-based threat” to Britain’s economic security.

Like Australia, Britain will take increased measures to ensure the security of its critical domestic infrastructure such as energy and transport networks.

It labels Beijing “a systemic challenge” to British prosperity and values, echoing similarly strong language in a recent European Union document.

It also says that China’s increased militarisation and assertiveness in the Pacific will pose “increasing risks to UK interests”.

In his speech, Mr Johnson is not expected to call out China by name. But, according to British press reports, he talks of new ­powers that are “using all the tools at their disposal to redefine the international order, and in some cases undermine the open and liberal international system”.

He will specifically commit his government to a “tilt to the Indo-Pacific” and offer as evidence of his commitment the voyage of the new Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to the ­Pacific this year, where it will exercise with US and Japanese ships, as well as his planned visit to India in April, his first overseas trip since Britain left the EU.

Mr Johnson’s speech, and his government’s integrated review, demonstrate a growing alignment of views on China between Canberra and London.

Britain banned Chinese telco giant Huawei from participation in its 5G network, following pressure from Washington, and after consultations with Canberra. Mr Johnson’s government has also criticised China over the suppression of democracy in Hong Kong and human rights abuses against the Uighurs in Xinjiang.

A further sign of a growing Five Eyes closeness on China came in comments from Kurt Campbell, the senior Asia director at the National Security Council in President Joe Biden’s administration, who said Washington would not allow any improvement in its bilateral relationship with China until Beijing ended its trade bullying of Australia.

Dr Campbell is reported to have said that Mr Biden had told  Scott Morrison, during their four way Quadrilateral Dialogue at the weekend: “We are not prepared to take substantial steps to improve relations (with Beijing) … until a more normal interplay between Canberra and Beijing is established.”

Dr Campbell stressed that the US would not leave Australia alone on the field.

Nonetheless, Mr Johnson’s integrated review illustrates the difficulty facing allied governments in working out a coherent policy towards China. While it recognises Beijing’s growing militarisation and assertiveness as the biggest threat to British interests, at the same time it says Britain will seek an enhanced commercial relationship and greater two-way investment with Beijing.

Formerly, this was a dilemma mainly faced by other Asian ­nations. Now, with the size of China’s economy — about 70 per cent the size of the US — and its growing global reach, European nations and others in diverse parts of the world face the same dichotomy: security threat versus economic opportunity.

This dilemma is even more acute when the urgency of tackling global issues is added.

The British review also notes that “China is an increasingly important partner in tackling global challenges like pandemic preparedness, biodiversity and climate change”.

Mr Johnson identifies the Indo-Pacific as “increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world”.

His review will also see the British increase their Trident nuclear warheads from 180 to 260.

Mr Johnson’s opinions are closely allied with the Prime Minister’s, and they share a similar view on many issues.

However, the British Prime Minister is also committed to ensuring that “tackling climate change and preserving biodiversity is the UK’s No 1 priority in the decade ahead”. That could be troublesome for Mr Morrison.

This will be a big year for British foreign policy leadership. In June, Mr Johnson hosts the G7 summit and has invited Mr Morrison to attend as a guest, along with the Prime Minister of India and the President of South Korea.

And then in November, in Glasgow, he will host the UN’s COP 26 climate change summit.