UK to Expand Pacific Naval Presence to Counter Beijing

HMS Tamar leaves Portsmouth, England, on Dec. 31, 2020. Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images

The United Kingdom will expand its naval presence in the Indo-Pacific in an effort to counter China’s growing influence, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in Samoa on Saturday at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) meeting.

The move, which supports U.S.-led effort, will include more Royal Navy operations and joint fishing patrols with Pacific island countries to counter illegal fishing, for which China is the world’s biggest perpetrator.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the challenges faced by our friends and partners on the other side of the world,” Starmer said in a statement.

“My visit to the Pacific this week has only reinforced how important this part of the world is to the United Kingdom’s prosperity and security, and I know across business, trade, and defence we play a vital role in supporting the region too.”

Communist China was ranked as the world’s biggest perpetrator of illegal fishing in The Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Risk Index 2021. It remained the worst-performing country in the IUU Fishing index 2023 update.

Between 2021 and 2023, 54 countries improved their scores (i.e. lower risk), five countries retained the same score, while 93 countries had a worse score, the report said.

“Of special concern is the continuing high score for China, given its vast domestic and distant-water fishing fleets. Its score remains very high compared to other countries, despite a marginal improvement in 2023,” it read.

Chinese vessels have been operating mainly along sea borders, while making “occasional incursions” into the domestic waters of other nations, Outlaw Ocean Project Director Ian Urbina, who co-authored the IUU 2021 report, previously told The Epoch Times.

China is also “buying its way into restricted national fishing grounds” from South America to Africa to the far Pacific. Pete McKenzie, the project investigator, gave a recent example from Argentina. “Chinese companies now control at least 62 industrial squid-fishing vessels that fly the Argentine flag. This constitutes most of Argentina’s entire squid fleet,” he said.

A Chinese fishing vessel operating illegally in Argentina's exclusive economic zone on May 4, 2020. Handout / Argentina's Navy Press Office / AFP

The British Royal Navy currently has two patrol vessels deployed in the Indo-Pacific, including HMS Tamar, which has been bolstering security in Samoa for CHOGM during the past week.

The UK will join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership by December, and will play a more important role in the region as part of its AUKUS responsibilities.

When meeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Starmer also reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to negotiating a bilateral treaty, as announced by Defence Ministers in September, to develop the SSN-AUKUS submarine for both nations.

The Prime Ministers “reaffirmed their commitment to an approach that sets the highest non-proliferation standards and to sustaining peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, respectful of sovereignty and rules,” according to a statement on Oct. 25.

“As responsible international players, we cannot turn a blind eye to the challenges faced by our friends and partners on the other side of the world, so my message today is clear: this is just the beginning of our commitment to the Indo-Pacific,” Starmer said.

“Combining expertise, local knowledge and investment, I truly believe we can create unique opportunities for people both in the Pacific and at home, and in doing so, we play our part in ensuring a safer, fairer world.”

Darren Taylor contributed to this report.