The UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said on Thursday that the United Kingdom's international policy was currently adrift, lacking clarity and confidence, compared to that of China and Russia, so it recommended that the government coordinate its post-Brexit trade policy with other priorities abroad
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2020) The UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said on Thursday that the United Kingdom's international policy was currently adrift, lacking clarity and confidence, compared to that of China and Russia, so it recommended that the government coordinate its post-Brexit trade policy with other priorities abroad.
"China and Russia have been adept at realising where their capacity for influence lies and harnessing the full spectrum of such capabilities. But the UK's international policy has been adrift. It has lacked a clear strategic vision, lacked confidence, and lacked coherent implementation," the parliamentary select committee said in a report.
It warned that in a world increasingly driven by competition rather than cooperation, the UK must use its memberships and influence to bring countries together in dialogue.
"Our world is one of worsening competition between countries. Deeper global interconnection, and the transformative impact of technological change, could offer unprecedented opportunities for nations to support one another," the parliamentary committee said, citing an opinion by diplomats from different countries who said that the UK "has recently appeared less ambitious and more absent in its global role."
According to the lawmakers' review, these people gave a variety of reasons for the loss of the UK's international influence, including the distraction posed by the process of leaving the European Union, previous under-resourcing of its diplomatic service and the deprioritization of some regions.
The report also warned that despite its intentions to strengthen ties with the Indo-Pacific region after Brexit, the UK should make sure that it continues to maintain strong relations with the European Union.
"The UK cannot 'tilt' to the Indo-Pacific without a strong base in Europe: both are important to UK prosperity and security and reinforce each other. In particular, considering the clout that several European nations exercise in many international bodies, including the UN, the UK will need to find new ways of maintaining its strong ties with European capitals," the report said.
In this regard, the Foreign Affairs Committee recommended that the government deepen strategic coordination between the recently merged Department for International Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
