The People’s Republic of China (PRC) poses an alarming threat to the economies within and defence of the free and open Indo-Pacific region, according to a think tank report.
The paper, published today, unveils how the PRC’s supply chain dominance coupled with its air and sea trade blockages are putting the vitality of the Indo-Pacific’s free markets and human rights on the line.
The authors, Dr Robert Seely MP and Darren G. Spinck, outline the transformation of the PRC’s economy since it joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. They also analyse how the UK and China’s economic interdependence endangers the UK’s economy.
The report concludes with a series of recommendations that explore how the UK can protect its domestic economy while advancing its foot in the global democratic sphere at the doorstep of the Indo-Pacific region.
The paper calls for:
- The UK government to enhance and diversify its trade and investment portfolios with its Indo-Pacific partners.
- The UK government to focus its resources on reforming its supply chains.
- The UK government to re-examine its investment restrictions to eliminate PRC-linked purchases in its agricultural sector.
- AUKUS to secure sufficient supplies of rare earths that are necessary and key in the defence sector.