Catherine West MP, UK Shadow Foreign Minister (Asia and the Pacific)

Catherine West MP, UK Shadow Foreign Minister (Asia and the Pacific), will brief Asia House Corporate Members on the Labour Party’s China and broader Indo-Pacific strategy, at an off-the-record in-person briefing on Wednesday, 13 March at Asia House in London.

The Labour Party continues to hold a substantial lead over the Conservatives as the UK heads into a general election year. With the current government having made the Indo-Pacific a key pillar of its foreign and economic policy, West will brief Corporate Members on Britain’s trade and security outlook in the region under a potential Labour administration.

West will outline Labour’s position on the UK’s trade, political and security relationship with China and on, future Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in the region under a Labour government. West will also discuss relations with other regional actors, including India, Japan and countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Conflict in the Middle East, tensions in the South China Sea, the election results in Taiwan and the upcoming elections in India and the US will also be discussed at this briefing.

Catherine West has been MP for Hornsey and Wood Green since May 201 5 and Shadow Minister (Asia and the Pacific) since December 2021. A fluent Mandarin speaker, West is also Deputy-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on China, Vice-Chair of the APPG on North Korea and the Patron of Hong Kong Watch.

The briefing will be held exclusively for Asia House Corporate Members and moderated by Asia House Chief Executive Michael Lawrence OBE. To register interest, please email Thomas Scott-Bell, Programme Producer: thomas.scott-bell@asiahouse.co.uk.