This report provides a comparative analysis of how five Indo‑Pacific countries – Australia, India, Japan, Singapore and South Korea – have sought to balance foreign ownership, control and influence (FOCI) risks when assessing technology vendors. The report focuses on those five countries because they provide among the clearest and most mature policies, decisions and outcomes across sectors, which enables robust comparisons.

The aim of this report is to explore which approaches represent best practice and might usefully inform other regional countries outside the scope of this report as they balance the benefits against FOCI risks. Across the country responses, the report identifies four themes that stand out for future policy and strategy.

Key findings

• As regional countries have become more concerned about China’s strategic ambitions, they’ve also become more reliant for critical technologies on Chinese vendors that are subject to state direction.
• All five governments share concerns about China’s growing military power and coercive economic behaviour.
• Reducing dependence on Chinese technology can’t be achieved overnight without significant economic disruption.
• Managing the security and economic risks – whether by accepting or prohibiting Chinese technologies and identifying alternative options – requires special care.
• Many of the most consequential steps have been quiet changes to procurement rules, licensing conditions, screening processes and technical standards.