Opinion

France’s Indo-Pacific foray is going full steam ahead

Extended military deployments in Asia and the pursuit of arms deals with several regional countries are demonstrating France’s desire to play a greater role in the Indo-Pacific

This could work to the Philippines’ benefit as it tries to launch its long-delayed submarine programme

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The French navy destroyer Lorraine is docked at Manila’s port on June 28. The Lorraine was in the Philippines for a port call after leaving Japan, part of an extended deployment to Asia. Photo: AFP

Lucio Blanco Pitlo III is president of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies and research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation.

Published: 3:30am, 8 Jul 2023Updated: 4:36am, 8 Jul 2023

Last week, the French navy’s Aquitaine-class destroyer Lorraine made a port call in the Philippines after departing Japan. The itinerary is part of the ship’s long-duration deployment to the region. The port call coincided with the visit of Rear Admiral Geoffroy d’Andigné, joint commander of the French armed forces in the Asia-Pacific, to Manila where he met senior foreign affairs, defence and military officials.

This demonstrates France’s desire to play a greater role in the Indo-Pacific as a resident power and the growing importance it attaches to challenges in the region’s maritime domain. As Indo-Pacific countries ramp up military spending and diversify their partners to respond to the region’s evolving security landscape, Paris is positioning itself as a reliable defence partner.

Only entering service last year, the Lorraine is one of France’s newest naval ships. Its Indo-Pacific tour is one of its first voyages abroad. The destroyer took part in the evacuation of French and allied nationals in Sudan in April. Last month, it joined US, Japanese and Canadian ships in maritime exercises in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea.