Britain plans strategic pivot towards Asia and expanded nuclear arsenal in landmark foreign policy review

The report concluded that cooperation with China will be vital in tackling various transnational challenges, in particular climate change and biodiversity loss

It report identifies the Indo-Pacific – including major Asian powers such as India, Japan and South Korea, as well as Indonesia and Vietnam – as ‘critical’ to UK economy

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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing street to deliver a statement to Parliament on the government’s Integrated Review. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:12pm, 16 Mar 2021Updated: 9:19pm, 16 Mar 2021

Britain on Tuesday unveiled plans to pivot its strategic focus towards Asia, counter Russia and controversially bolster its nuclear stockpile, in one of the biggest overhauls of security, defence and foreign policy since the Cold War era.

The conclusions of the government’s so-called Integrated Review, crafted over the past year as London recalibrates its post-Brexit foreign policy, include labelling China a “systemic competitor” that also requires engagement.

The 120-page document – entitled “Global Britain in a Competitive Age” – identifies Russia as the “most acute direct threat to the UK” which poses “the full spectrum” of dangers.

It also notably announces an increase to Britain’s nuclear arsenal, reversing a previous commitment to reduce the stockpile to 180 warheads by pledging to increase it to 260 by the end of the decade, “in recognition of the evolving security environment”.

“History has shown that democratic societies are the strongest supporters of an open and resilient international order,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote in a foreword to the review.

“To be open, we must also be secure. Protecting our people, our homeland and our democracy is the first duty of any government.”

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