Earlier this year, we published Ash Lawton Dharmasingham's series 'East of Suez: A British Strategy for an Asian Century.
If you want to read the whole series as a single document, click here.
Extract from the conclusion:
As the Japanese embassy official stated, if Britain wanted to “be taken seriously” in Asia and remain a global force then it cannot be just an economic force in the region. Britain must be serious about, “shaping the security environment in the region, against the background of assertive voice which belittles the rule-based international order” (Japanese Embassy Official, 2017). Britain has the choice of either remaining a prosperous and influential global player that has some ability to shape the global order, by playing a constructive role in Asia or it can accept a loss of influence and be shaped by the international order itself. Engaging with Asia economically, politically and militarily would secure Britain’s interests and help protect the ILO. The rise of Asia provides exciting opportunities for economic engagement and Britain should pursue, for example, an FTA with India and help China internationalise the RMB.
Ash Lawton Dharmsingham is a Young Fabian. You can follow him on Twitter at @AshLawtonD