Jenny Bates, Director General, Indo-Pacific in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

In its Integrated Review Refresh 2023 published in May, the UK government announced its Indo-Pacific tilt has been ‘delivered’.

Highlighting dialogue partner status with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the deepening of bilateral political, economic and security relations across the region and accession to The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the UK government is now aiming to make its increased engagement stronger, more enduring and ‘a permanent pillar of the UK’s international policy’.

As the UK advances its tilt in the Indo-Pacific, Asia House will welcome Jenny Bates, Director General, Indo-Pacific in the FCDO, to update Corporate Members on its new ambitions for the region.

In this off-the-record, in-person briefing, Jenny will share her insights on the UK’s economic, trade and strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. Jenny will brief on the deepening of UK-ASEAN relations, comment on Britain’s response to China’s growing economic, political and security role in the region and provide updates on a UK-India Free Trade Agreement.

Jenny has been Director General, Indo-Pacific at the FCDO since September 2020. She joined the then Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in March 2020 as Director General, Europe and has previously held positions at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and HM Treasury.

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

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