ABOARD THE CHARLES DE GAULLE, Subic, Philippines — France vowed to uphold international law, particularly freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, as French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle made her first port visit in the country.
French ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel made the remark on Sunday amid China’s growing aggression in the West Philippine Sea, stressing her country will respond when necessary.
France, which is closely monitoring events in the South China Sea, opposes actions that escalate tensions and threaten regional stability.
Fontanel said they support the position of the European Union that China’s latest actions violate international aviation regulation.
Last week, a Chinese navy helicopter conducted dangerous air manoeuvres by flying 3 meters close to a Philippine aircraft conducting maritime patrol in Scarborough Shoal on February 18
“Well, I could not tell in advance because it’s not my position to tell. When events occur, we react. So, the most important aspect of what we are trying to do here is to strengthen the ties, to get a better mutual understanding of one another. Because there is one thing we are sure about, that in case anything happens, if we need to interact and if we haven’t been trained or trained before, it will be much more difficult,” Fontanel responded on the question how intense is the commitment of France to protect the international rule of law.
“I would say, regular practice to meet, to call to port, to train together, to engage in bilateral or multilateral exercise to gain this mutual knowledge and this trust that is at some point, whatever happens in the future, the basic need that two armed forces would have to interact together,”
A Naval News reporter was among the media invited by the embassy for a quick tour of Charles de Gaulle docked at Subic Bay in Zambales.
Aside from Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, the carrier strike group consists of two multi-mission frigates, an air defense destroyer, and the auxiliary oil replenishment ship Jacques Chevallier. The five-vessel fleet, part of its Indo-Pacific deployment, known as Mission CLEMENCEAU 25, has traveled more than 12,000 kilometers from its home port of Toulon.Â
The carrier air wing consists of 24 Rafale Marine fighters, four helicopters, and two Hawkeye early-warning aircraft.
French officials, however, clarified that the aircraft carrier’s maiden visit to the Philippines and its military exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines are not aimed at any nation but are part of a trust-building effort with regional allies.
Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard, commander of the French carrier strike group, told reporters their port visit aimed to foster mutual knowledge with partners like the Philippines.
“We are building experience in the area and we are constructing bonds. And there’s nothing that is declared against anybody. We are mostly here because there is a free and open area to sail in. And we are here basically to use this right of common space to make sure that this space stays common,”
Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard, commander of the French carrier strike group
While in the West Philippine Sea, Mallard said they conducted drills with the Philippine Air Force and Navy across combat domains to enhance cooperation, mutual understanding, and trust.
“All these interactions goal is not only to strengthen our interoperability, but also to demonstrate our commitment to maintain regional stability and promote a free, open, safe and peaceful Indo Pacific region,” he said.
“We aim to strengthen cooperation with regional partners who share our commitment to upholding international law and ensuring freedom of navigation in shared maritime spaces,” he added.
Mallard, however, refused to mention if the Chinese shadowed them or made a radio challenge as they were sailing to Zambales.
China claims most of the South China Sea, based on its “10-dash line”, which overlaps significantly with the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Since last year, Beijing has been accused of employing aggressive tactics against Philippine ships in the South China Sea, such as firing water cannons and using high-intensity lasers, in a bid to assert its territorial claims in the contested waters.
France, according to Fontanel, wants to contribute to freedom of navigation all over the world, including the Indo Pacific.
“We want to strengthen our partnerships with countries like the Philippines with whom we share a lot of international law, multilateralism and we are of course both maritime nations,”
French ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel
In October last year, the Ambassador said they submitted the first draft of its military interoperability agreement with the Philippines last October and is currently awaiting the latter’s response.
Fontanel said the “intent to negotiate” a visiting forces agreement (VFA) between the two countries is part of the letter signed by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his counterpart, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, in December 2023.
Reached for comment, Chester Cabalza, president of the Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation think tank, said the arrival of French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is a big leap for France to cement its strong presence in the Indo-Pacific.
While many nations in the region are finalizing their own military modernization, Paris, according to Cabalza, shows off its capability as a reliable defence partner and supplier shown in this important stopover.
Cabalza said that while Beijing may see this as a show of force, France is asserting its commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight.
Cabalza told Naval News:
“As Paris heeds to Manila’s prime advocacy for maritime rules-based order, France is helping the Southeast Asian archipelagic nation achieve that norm in the region,”
“The European power is one of the first major powers also active in helping the Philippines in achieving its revitalized defense modernization, particularly in Manila’s elusive dream of possessing submarines and surface naval vessels,” he added.
