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Written question asked by Andrew Rosindell (Conservative) on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 January 2026. It was answered by Al Carns (Labour) on Wednesday, 14 January 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.


Indo-Pacific Region: Defence

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure UK defence commitments in the Indo-Pacific remain robust amid rising tensions between China and Japan.

Answer

The UK's commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific is unwavering. In addition to our permanent bases and persistent maritime presence, we are building the capacity of regional partners, conducting joint exercises, and deepening defence industrial collaboration. Two of the UK's major defence programmes - AUKUS and GCAP - include Indo-Pacific partners.

Japan is our closest security partner in Asia, and we will continue to cooperate closely to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the region. We support all actions to de-escalate tensions and return to calm. I spoke with Defence Minister Koizumi on 17 December 2025, during which I reiterated this message.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
103724
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Defence Indo-Pacific region
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk