The context in which Europeans contribute to Indo-Pacific security is changing rapidly. During 2021, France and the United Kingdom increased their engagement in the region with significant naval deployments such as the UK Carrier Strike Group 21 and the publication of the EU’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific. However the AUKUS pact, as well as continuing tensions between the UK and the EU, have complicated Franco-British cooperation on Indo-Pacific security.
This small, closed-door, workshop organised with the support of the government of Japan, is the second in a wider Chatham House UK-France-Japan policy dialogue exploring prospects for European engagement in Indo-Pacific security. It provides British and French officials and analysts with the opportunity to discuss their respective assessments, priorities and concerns regarding Indo-Pacific security, together and with Japanese colleagues.
- What are the main lessons from the European naval deployments in the Indo-Pacific during the course of 2021?
- How sustainable is the European presence in the region after the withdrawal from Afghanistan?
- What concrete steps are needed to restore trust between London and Paris after AUKUS?
- How can France and the UK balance competition and cooperation in the region?
- How can the UK and France further develop their contribution to Asian security, together and in partnership with Japan and other regional actors?
Over the course of two sessions, participants will discuss the lessons learnt from French and British involvement in Indo-Pacific security in 2021 and seek to develop a positive agenda for UK-France-Japan cooperation.
Participants
Rear Admiral Iain S. Lower, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, Royal Navy
Rear Admiral Hervé Hamelin, Defence Attaché, Embassy of France in the UK
Mr Yasushi Noguchi, Director General for International Affairs, Bureau of Defense Policy, Ministry of Defense of Japan
Ms Céline Pajon, Research Fellow and Head of Japan Research, Centre for Asian Studies, French Institute of International Relations (IFRI)
Mr Philip Shetler-Jones, Consulting Fellow for the Indo-Pacific, Asia-Pacific Programme, Chatham House
Mr Masashi Murano, Japan Chair Fellow, Hudson Institute
